Sunday 18 May 2014

Leftist NGOs call for another Europe


In a public debate with Maltese EP candidates held in Valletta, Leftist NGOs expressed their support for the call for another Europe, based on a social and ecological model.

Żminijietna - Voice of the Left, Alliance Against Poverty, General Workers' Union Youths, Moviment Graffitti and Association of Federative Socialists, said:

"In a context of austerity and precariousness, which are being imposed by the European troika, and in a context of increased Euroscepticism, inequality and xenophobia, we call for the construction of another Europe, based on a social and ecological model".

"The EU should increase public expenditure and halt the process of privatisation and liberalisation of essential public services. EU funds should be based on social needs, and the imposition of austerity measures tied to such funds should stop and,  all EU treaties should have social and environmental protocols”.

"All workers, irrespective of employment and nationality, should have full access to social programmes offered by national Governments, and to the same conditions and wages offered to other workers who work in the same country or region".

"The EU should have clear targets against climate change and these should be integrated in all aspects of EU policy".

"The constitutional neutrality of EU member states with this status should be respected, and the militarist European External Action Service should be opposed, especially since it is not accountable to European and National parliaments".

"The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the USA should be subject to an impact study and to a democratic discussion in the European Parliament and within civil society, and to full transparency before proceeding. We oppose the way the TTIP is being proposed as it will lead to increased liberalization and privatization of public services".

"The concept of Fortress Europe should be replaced by policies based on responsibility sharing, anti-racism and anti-imperialism".


Political parties were invited to send MEP candidates to participate in the debate. Ivan Grixti (Partit Laburista), Ivan Grech Mintoff  (Alleanza Bidla) and Jean Pierre Sammut (Alleanza Liberali) participated in the debate.

The entire manifesto of the Leftist NGOs can be read at
http://zminijietna.blogspot.com/2014/04/left-manifest-european-elections-2014.html

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