« Statement released in French on January 5, 2015 — Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal —European Union, European directors, International Monetary Fund, ratings agencies: stop your blackmail, end your interference in the Greek election campaign! Let the people decide!
In a context where harsh blows are multiplying in Greece (corruption of elected representatives, disinformation, restriction of democratic liberties), in order to prevent the possible victory of the left-wing movement SYRIZA in the legislative elections on January 25, we see the IMF announce the suspension of its “aid”, and the European commissioner for the economy Pierre Moscovici address himself directly fo the Greek electorate to tell them which way they should vote.
For his part, Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, declared that he “would not like it if the extreme forces come to power” in Athens. In Germany, the finance minister Wolfgang Schaüble reaffirmed in passing that there is “no alternative” to the reforms underway in Greece.
The ratings agencies have begun to threaten a downgrading – is it still possible! — of the rating of the Greek economy. In the European press, they have taken it upon themselves to spread fear of change in order to dissuade the peoples of the EU from turning towards progressive formations proposing the same type of economic rupture as SYRIZA.
It is true that a victory for SYRIZA in Greece could call into question for the whole of the European Union the politics of austerity imposed by the Troika (the European Central Bank, the European Commission and the IMF) upon the people against their will. As has been demonstrated by the massive demonstrations in Portugal, in Spain and more recently in Italy, or the general strike in Belgium, it is no longer accepted that the the holders of capital must be reimbursed for their illegitimate debts at the price of the destruction of a social model that allowed for the softening of the evils of capitalism and pointed towards the possibility of a different social model.
Before this threat to their interests – the example of Iceland still unsettles them – the servants of finance in Europe are readying all kinds of blackmail to confiscate democracy from Greece and elsewhere. Those who allow freedom to be muzzled in Victor Orban’s Hungary in the name of respect for universal suffrage this time find it legitimate to insert themselves into the internal political life of a state: the preservations of the interests of the banks and the multinationals is more important for them than the defence of liberties!
It is up to the people of Greece, father of democracy but today matyr of austerity, to decide, in sovereignty, upon their future.
We, citizens of Europe, demand that the international financial institutions, the ratings agencies and the European authorities immediately cease their shameful pressuring. It is not up to the current European institutions and finance to dictate to the people for whom they should vote! Austerity is a political choice that they should be able to reject democratically!
We are in chorus with SYRIZA in saying that Greece’s problem is the same as that of all of Europe and that what is playing out here could signal the beginning of a new European adventure.
We, citizens of Europe say to the Greek people: do not fear, you can count on us, we are at your side. Our Europe is not theirs; it is yours.
[…]
Signatories/Signer la pétition.
Christophe Aguiton, union militant; Françoise Alamartine, EELV (Green Party); Loïc Annoot, Les plumés de l’austérité 93; Paul Aries, editor in chief of the monthly publication Z’indigné(e)s; Clémentine Autain, spokesperson of Ensemble ! (Together!); Benjamin Ball, Les désobeïsssants; Alain Bascoulergue, retired journalist; Francine Bavay, EELV; Julien Bayou, regional councillor EELV; Delphine Beauvois, author of youth and feminist books; Esther Benbassa, senator of EELV in Val-de-Marne; Fatima Benomar, les efFRONTé-e-s; Bruno Bessières, association des communistes unitaires, Ensemble !, Front de gauche (Left Front); Martine Billard, former deputy for Paris, Parti de Gauche (Left Party); Thierry Bonus, militant union militant ; Alima Boumediene Thiery, lawyer; Michel Bourgain, mayor of l’Île-Saint-Denis ; Joseph Boussion, Nouvelle Donne (New Deal); Jacques Boutault, EELV mayor for Paris 2e; Judith Butler; Leïla Chaibi, PG ; Laura Chatel (federal secretary for Jeunes Ecolos (Young Ecologists)); Luc Chatel, journalist and editor; Fethi Chouder, PG93; Eric Coquerel, political coordinator of PG, regional councillor for Ile de France; Alexis Corbière national secretary for Parti de Gauche ; Mathieu Colloghan, painter; Philippe Corcuff, political figure; Sergio Coronado, EELV deputy; Emmanuelle Cosse, national secretary of EELV; »
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