Dangerous publication in the Bild newspaper
27.2.2015
Question for written answer E-003367-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Dimitrios Papadimoulis (GUE/NGL)
The ‘Greek situation’ has been used as an opportunity for the European media and government officials in certain euro-area Member States to launch a populist and slanderous campaign against Greece and Greek citizens.
Recent examples include a report in the Bild newspaper (‘Not more millions for the greedy Greeks’) and statements by government officials who, by distorting financial data on the participation of various countries in the loan agreements with Greece, are creating dangerous political impressions.
In view of the threat which demonising the democratic choices made by nations to change unsuccessful economic policies, at no cost to European citizens, poses to Europe and its fundamental principles and in light of the Jubilee Debt Campaign, which highlights the fact that only 10% of EU/IMF funding to Greece was used to service the needs of the Greek State, will the Commission say:
- — Whether it will take appropriate political measures to stop this dangerous demonisation of the right of European countries to exercise their democratic, fundamental and sovereign rights?
- — Whether it intends to carry out a financial evaluation of the loan agreements with Greece in order to establish how they were used?
- — What the net contribution is of lending countries to Greece, given that Slovakia did not participate in the first loan, Finland demanded additional collateral and the EFSF is borrowing from the markets against guarantees and share capital?