Brussels, 05/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 4 March at the presentation of a legal opinion on the troika's work by Professor Andreas Fischer-Lescano of Bremen University, Alejandro Cercas MEP (S&D, Spain), who is on the European Parliament's employment and social affairs committee, criticised the “social tsunami” generated by the troika of lenders (European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund) in countries in receipt of financial aid. In November, Fischer-Lescano's report was sent to the Austrian confederation of trade unions (ÖGB), the Austrian federal chamber of labour, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI).
Fischer-Lescano says that no state of emergency can ever justify the suspension of EU law. He says that the ECB and European Commission's membership of the troika has led to a disproportionate jeopardising of labour laws and the welfare system. He criticises attacks that result in problems gaining access to work, undermining the bare minimum needed for life, shortages of food, housing, water and other basic requirements. Moreover, their intervention is not covered by EU law and they have been short-circuiting the European Parliament. Veronica Nilsson of the ETUC explained this in greater detail, regretting that the Council of Europe report criticising pay cuts had not made any difference.
Cercas criticised the way the employment and social affairs committee had to wait until 21 January before being given the go-ahead to draft an investigative report on the troika's work - in other words two months after the economic and monetary affairs committee was given the go-ahead to open an investigation and only “after a tough battle”. Some sources say the EPP opposed the employment and social affairs committee's involvement.
A European official at DG ECFIN at the European Commission attended the presentation on a personal basis and seemed annoyed at the raft of attacks on the troika. He told EUROPE that the Commission was open for discussion, but it was not fair to say that the troika automatically and systematically attacked social rights. During the conference, Cercas explained that the complaints had not come out of thin air, as they were based on prior consultations. (EL)