Alternate FM Xydakis’ speech during the parliamentary debate on the government’s platform statements (7 October 2015)

“Mr. Speaker,
Ladies and Gentlemen MPs,

Subsequent to the government’s policy statements, I will present to you our positions and planning with regard to our policy within the framework of Europe.

Greece is pursuing proactive participation in and contribution to the shaping of the European Union, strengthening the institutions of solidarity, cooperation, transparency and democracy. The ongoing economic and financial crisis, in combination with the flare-up of the refugee/migration issue, are calling into question the fundamental European values and are testing the cohesion of European societies.

Euroscepticism, or even Europhobia, awakening nationalism, as well as the growing strength of extremist political forces, are worrying symptoms that are showing in almost every EU member state. And at the same time, we have yet to see a comprehensive and convincing reaction from the EU; a reaction that meets the expectations and needs of European citizens.

Europe is not a paradise, but it is our political home. It is our historical opportunity and our duty to capitalize on the European treaties, to point up their political content and latent potential; precisely that potential that is activated by the Union whenever the need arises for institutional and practical solutions to new problems that arise. The great economic crisis that began in 2008 and continues today has caused such shifts and adaptations in the European institutions; changes that were unthinkable before the crisis: the EFSF, the ESM are two such fruits of adaptation to the crisis.

Another, parallel aspect of our policy must be our persistence in the common European acquis: our ongoing and substantial inclusion in the existing provisions of the community acquis. This, after all, is the essence of the European Union: that Europe is a common political space, a space of peaceful and creative coexistence, and not just an abstract ideology, wishful thinking, moralizing rhetoric. It is a common political space that is shaped through convergence, concessions, confrontations, corrections – even clashes, but clashes that move us forward.

From this perspective, our country’s painful experience in recent years can and must – and we are already doing this – be highlighted as a European experience, and not as a national exception, so that the course of our reconstruction can appear as a European model for exiting the crisis, and so that we can stop being an easy negative example. This reversal of the stereotypical or even malicious – in any case, counterproductive – negative example of Greece will be a major contribution to our country as well as to Europe.

Mr. Speaker,
Dear Colleagues,

For some years now, our country has been facing major challenges, but challenges that concern the whole of Europe. For months now we have been managing the great pressure from migration flows – pressures out of proportion to our capabilities, in the midst of financial constraints. On a national level, we are daily making superhuman efforts toward the dignified reception of refugees, with a sense of hospitality and humanity. At the same time, we are pursuing collective European solutions based on the principles of solidarity, humanity and fair burden-sharing. Following painstaking efforts, there was a decision, on the European level, on the distribution of 160,000 refugees among the EU member states over the coming two years. This is just an initial step, because, given the huge number of refugees, we are not operating under the illusion that the problem has been definitively resolved.

Moreover, we are working to formulate a permanent mechanism for the internal relocation of those who have need of international protection. We have to give particular weight to the legal channels of immigration in order to break the vicious cycle of migrants’ dependence on trafficking networks. We need to focus on the root of the problem; that is, the bloody conflicts that are forcing millions of people to abandon their homes, and we need to pursue the speediest possible political settlement of the crises in our region.

Ladies and Gentlemen MPs,

In the sector of the economy, the endeavour to deepen the Economic and Monetary Union of Europe is a first class opportunity to confront the architectural flaws of the EMU, which manifested themselves in recent years, during the economic crisis in the Eurozone. The degree of success of the EMU endeavour will impact the course of the European Union overall. A basic element of the EMU that we are pursuing is the adoption of an economic governance framework that, based on solidarity and social indicators, will respond more flexibly to the needs of European citizens and ensure growth, jobs, the modernization and improved competitiveness of our economies, and, above all, social cohesion.

The activation of the Hellenic Parliament and capitalization on the role reserved for it by the Lisbon Treaty could contribute to the smooth functioning of the Union, bolstering its democratic legitimization. In this context, the role of the Hellenic Parliament’s European Affairs Committee could prove significant, and I look forward to productive cooperation. In the same spirit, we support the active role of the European Parliament in the procedure for overseeing the implementation of the loan agreement, as this will strengthen democratic accountability and the likelihood of the appropriate emphasis being given the social repercussions of austerity policies.

With a view to the recovery of our economy, the strengthening of growth and jobs, we are seeking benefits from the operation of the European Fund for Strategic Investments, otherwise known as the Juncker Plan, for boosting investments in all EU member states. The potential for this is set down in the 12 July Agreement.

We will also continue to use the resources and potentialities of the Cohesion Policy. For the 2014-2020 programming period, in the Cohesion Policy Sector, Greece has the potential to draw €21 billion in funding. Our efforts will focus on the impending revision of the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework, so that we can bolster the country with additional funding.

In the energy sector – which is important for both Greece and the EU – European citizens and businesses should be the focus of the Union’s political actions. We intend to contribute, within the EU framework, to overcoming the fragmentation of the internal energy market, on the national and regional level, and to enhancing energy security. Our ultimate goal must be the reduction of the end price for households and businesses. On the Union level, we are seeking to highlight the importance of energy efficiency in critical sectors, such as buildings and transport.

With regard to the Union’s relations with its neighbours and third countries, Greece supports the Enlargement Policy in the Western Balkans and Turkey, because neighbouring countries’ accession perspectives function as a catalyst for the consolidation of peace, democracy, stability and development in the region. This policy should continue with the promotion of the necessary reforms, in the context of a strong and fair conditionality and based on the principle of the performance of each given candidate country. Emphasis should be put on elements of conditionality such as rule of law, good neighbourly relations, and protection of fundamental rights and minority rights, as well as improvement of the business environment, with parallel benefits for Greek enterprises.

Finally, we are working for the gradual normalization of EU-Russian relations, because we consider Russia to be a strategic partner of the EU. At the same time, strengthening of the EU’s dialogue with the countries of the Southern Mediterranean is a firm priority for us. In the framework of the EU’s external trade policy, we are closely monitoring the developments in the negotiations on the conclusion of free trade and investment agreements with third countries. These agreements can prove useful, as long, of course, as they do not compromise the rights of states to legislate with public interest in mind. In the present case, we think it is important for the Commission to bear in mind the concerns of civil society (for instance, regarding the TTIP that is under negotiation), mainly with regard to the need for more transparency and information.

Ladies and Gentlemen MPs,

Our country is at a critical historical turning point. Let us consider what we have taken from Europe, how we capitalized on it or how we didn’t. What we gained, what we lost all these years. Let us learn.

But let’s also consider how we can teach Europe through our own experience – the mistakes and losses -- and through our determined efforts to turn this state of affairs around. Our goal, progressive governance, creative synthesis of pragmatism and radicalism, is not just a national goal: it is also European. This is what the citizens of Greece expect from us, and it is what European citizens expect.

Thank you.”

October 8, 2015