Brussels, 28/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - Greece can count on the financial solidarity of its partners but only if the Greek parliament shoulders its responsibilities and approves the EU/IMF austerity plan, says European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek. “There is no solidarity without responsibility”, Buzek told the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung on 27 June, in Berlin. “This week, it will be the responsibility of the Greek parliament to adopt ambitious but painful reforms. It shall then be our responsibility to show solidarity”, Buzek said, in order to open the road to payment of another €12 billion slice of aid and the adoption of a second Greek bail-out plan (see EUROPE 10405 for the European Council's decision on this). Jerzy Buzek also sounded a note of caution to all those who recommend accepting Greek default, pointing out that: “Some financial experts are openly calling for a Greek default. But, I ask them, can they be sure that the default will be limited to Greece? When Lehman Brothers defaulted, the German economy shrunk by 5% - the greatest recession since the war”. Addressing the German public, Buzek went on to say that “avoiding a default in Greece is not simply in the interest of Greece - it is in everyone's interest”. The EP president also said that MEPs are currently fighting for enhancing the Stability Pact, better economic governance and more automatic sanctions against countries that do not abide by the rules. In fact, he said, “our position is more German than the German government's”.
Budget. On Wednesday 29 June, on the eve of publication of the first Commission proposals for the future budgetary framework 2014-2020, Buzek also defended the EP's claim that the European budget should be raised. The EP suggests the EP budget should be increased by 5% but does so with the determination of “investing the taxpayers' money more efficiently” to create economies of scale, as growth is generated through investments. “For every euro invested at the EU level, this can generate up to four euros of extra spending”, Buzek believes, adding: “This is why we need European investments to save money for our citizens”.
Community method. Jerzy Buzek also said in Berlin that the EU should not be taken for granted and that the European idea must be constantly defended. “The one thing that made Europe a success is our community method. We need to redefine it today. We, in the EP, believe this method is the only one which works in a Union of 27”, he said. (H.B./transl.jl)