S&D Euro MPs today called for a special meeting of the leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament with the Eurogroup president Jeroen Djesselbloem to explain the unacceptable decision to suspend the debt relief measures to Greece. They also urged the European Commission’s president Jean-Claude Juncker to step up on the Greek situation.
S&D Group vice-president Udo Bullmann said:
“Yesterday our group noted that Dijsselbloem had announced that the short-term debt relief to Greece will stop. We think that this measure is wrong and unjustified. We believe that Greece has made a lot of sacrifices and that the economic conditions of the bailout agreement have been more than fulfilled.
“We would like the Parliament to invite Dijsselbloem to explain this decision in an extraordinary Conference of Presidents as soon as possible. Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission should also contribute to assessing the empiric situation in Greece.”
S&D Group spokeswoman on economic and monetary affairs Pervenche Berès added:
“Nobody in the Eurogroup can decide to reverse a decision without even consulting all the euro area finance ministers.
“Social policies cannot be taken in hostage for the negotiations on debt relief. The European Parliament needs to have its say.”
