Where is our referendum on bailout Taoiseach? Papandreou announces plan for a referendum on Greek “bail out” - Paul Murphy MEP
Press Statement: Paul Murphy MEP (Socialist Party / United Left Alliance) 31 October 2011
Papandreou announces plan for a referendum on Greek “bail out”
Greek people may well take opportunity to reject austerity and rule by troika
Where is our referendum Taoiseach?
“Tonight, Greek Prime Minister Papandreou has annouced that Greece will have a referendum on the so-called “bail-out”. Although this is a ploy designed to save his government by rail-roading the Greek people into supporting the referendum with the threat of disaster if the referendum is defeated, the Irish experience of referenda suggests that he may be making a mistake. Despite the incredible campaign of fear that will be waged in support of the referendum, the Greek people may well take the opportunity to reject austerity and rule by the IMF, ECB and European Commission.
“The financial markets are already wobbling at the prospect of an exercise of democracy, as surely are the leaders of the eurozone. Greece has been turned into a protectorate of the troika, with a permanent supervisory team now set to oversee the sell-off of state assets and the further savaging of living standards for working class people. The latest deal added insult to injury by adding privatisation of another €15 billion of assets to the €50 billion already to be privatised – with the funds raised going straight back into the European bail-out fund!
“Working people in Ireland should now ask the question of this government and Taoiseach Enda Kenny – where is our referendum? To quote from the Fine Gael general election manifesto: 'A Fine Gael Government will seek a mandate from the Irish people to renegotiate a more credible, fairer
package that is better for Ireland and Europe.' The renegotiation idea was quickly shown for what it was – an election ploy to prevent further gains for the anti-bailout forces. Now, the people of Ireland must be given a say on the so-called bailout that condemns working people to austerity and misery for years to come. Instead of preparing such a referendum, however, Taoiseach Kenny is currently doing everything in his limited power in Europe to persuade Chancellor Merkel not to amend the treaties in such a way as to give people in Ireland an opportunity to vote on it!”
