During today's discussion on the Commission's work programme for 2012 in the European Parliament, GUE/NGL MEP Patrick Le Hyaric criticised President Barroso "for not taking into account the extreme seriousness of the current crisis and the fact that European people are rejecting the EU because of the lack of solidarity."

Despite all the talk of growth and employment creation, "all we see is the spectre of unemployment," he said. MEP Le Hyaric urged changes, notably in the role of the ECB, plus a new fund for human and environmental development funded by financial transaction tax revenues to ensure public services such as health and transport, and produce investment for jobs.

Calling for strengthened democratic structures and mechanisms in the EU, Helmut Scholz said "the EU must not degrade its democracy; EU citizens and their Parliament must not be silenced". "The time has come to put a stop to privatisation and wage cuts. Turn around, Mr Barroso, put the Commission at the service of citizens, and prohibit this kind of economic model" he demanded.

"How can you justify the Stability and Growth Pact and your continuing support for instruments that lead to speculation on sovereign debt? enquired João Ferreira, asking "what kind of democracy is it when it is the markets that remove governments and appoint new ones?".

For Georgios Toussas, the drastic political developments in countries such as Ireland, Portugal and Spain have peaked in Greece with the formation of a new government rubber-stamped by the EU. He called the measures that are making people's lives hell a "barbaric attack on the rights and lives of the working classes, especially young people".

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20   

David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12

gabrielle.kavanagh@europarl.europa.eu  

david.lundy@europarl.europa.eu

European United Left / Nordic Green Left

European Parliamentary Group

www.guengl.eu