In the plenary today, the Socialists and Democrats called on the EU member states to implement much stronger sanctions against Belarus President Lukashenka’s regime, to close the existing loopholes and further cut the financial resources of the regime.

One year after the stolen elections in Belarus, the unabated systematic repression and impunity in the country persist. The main opposition figures are in prison or in exile and there are more than 700 political prisoners, including many independent journalists.

Reacting to the revelations of the Pandora Papers, the biggest ever leak of offshore papers, in which the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists exposes the secretive financial dealings of more than 100 billionaires and 30 world leaders, the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament call for a crack-down on tax abuse.

Martin Schirdewan, Ko-Vorsitzender der Linksfraktion THE LEFT und finanzpolitischer Sprecher von DIE LINKE im Europäischen Parlament, erklärt zum heutigen Treffen der Eurogruppe:

The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament strongly oppose the plans of the member states in the Council who want to make considerable cuts from the EU budget for next year. They voted today for texts in the 2022 budget in the EP’s committee on budgets asking for adequate funding that corresponds to the recovery goals declared by the national government of the member states in the Council of the EU, the European Commission and the European Parliament.

Georgia's elections on 2 October were not only local elections but also another test of democracy. As a signal of unwavering support for Georgian democracy, the European Parliament participated with a seven-member strong delegation in the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission, including S&D MEP Marina Kaljurand.