Michail Tremopoulos (Verts/ALE). – (EL) Mr President, may I start by saying that this is an important report, which strikes a worthy compromise between the tensions in the European Parliament. It identifies elements of social cohesion which are not present in similar debates in the European Parliament. We should also like it to signal an important turning point in the policy of the European Union as a whole.

Of course it refers to 2009, while in 2010, important developments are taking place which, of course, concern my country, Greece. One might conclude that, apart from monetary union, we also need economic and political union, as many have said. The euro should be accompanied by a minimum social security indicator for social cohesion.

That is clear from the various things being said in Greece, much of which is inaccurate. For example, I cannot but highlight the fact that productivity in Greece was not much lower than the average of the EU of the 27. That is clear from Eurostat statistics: it was approximately 90% in both 2007 and 2008.

The increase in the budget deficit and public debt in Greece over the last two or three years was the result of the collapse in incomes, the reduction in income from abroad, such as tourism and shipping, due to the crisis, and the increase in public spending. Of course there is wastage, but people are also being recruited to the public sector in various forms.

Certainly all this needs to change; we also need to request this social protection indicator and not content ourselves with general calls not to do anything that will overly affect low incomes. Spending and arms need to be controlled, as does everything that has increased significantly over the last two years, but especially incomes, which have decreased equally significantly. The income of large sections of the population, who are on the verge of poverty, must not fall.

Obviously, there are matters which also concern the summit under way today here in Brussels. However, the Giegold report must also signal a more general change and the incorporation of these positions in the Stability Pact. Above all, we do not need to take any recourse to the unacceptable policy of the European Monetary Fund which, apart from anything else, also has a viability deficit.

(Applause)