Interview with AKEL MEP Giorgos Georgiou:
AKEL will continue its assertions in the European Parliament with greater determination
Sunday 23 June 2024, “Haravgi” newspaper
QUESTION: The election result sent only you to the European Parliament as AKEL has been deprived of its second MEP. How difficult will your task be as the only AKEL MEP?
GG: Since 2004 AKEL has been representing our Cyprus and the Cypriot people in the European Parliament. Throughout all these years we have achieved a lot because our work has been collective, always guided by the needs of the common people. Together with AKEL’s MEPs, there has always been a group of comrades, both in Cyprus and in Brussels, who supported the work of our MEPs and contributed decisively to fulfilling the goals we have set as a Party.
That’s precisely how we shall continue! For that reason we are moving forward with one MEP, but with a team that will work intensively with greater determination and readiness, aiming to achieve a humane world, without inequalities and exploitation.
QUESTION: Is there cooperation between Cypriot MEP’s or does everyone follow the line of their political group?
GG: Each MEP represents the policies of his/her party and the political group to which he/she belongs. To the extent that our positions converge, especially with regards the Cyprus problem, the aim is to work together to strengthen the voice of Cyprus within the European Parliament.
Nevertheless, the political groups frequently adopt different approaches, especially when it comes, for example, to the environment, society, human rights and the economic policies that the EU is implementing. It is important, of course, to point out that the political group of the European United Left in which AKEL participates is the most steadfast ally of the Cypriot people in the struggle it is waging for the reunification of our homeland.
QUESTION: What are the main issues that you have in the European Parliament and as a group of the Left in the period ahead?
GG: As the Group of the Left we are the only force that dares to speak about the need for fundamental changes in the Union so that the peoples rid themselves of the neoliberal model that increases inequalities, driving Europe to self-destruction. We shall therefore continue our struggle to build a Europe of peace, prosperity and social justice.
We assert an end to the ongoing militarisation of the EU, an end to the genocide of the Palestinians being committed and that the billions of Euros spent on the arms war industry must be allocated to serve the welfare of the peoples. Effective measures must be taken to protect society from expensiveness, price increases and energy poverty.
Taxation must be imposed on the exorbitant profits recorded by the companies and the banks instead of green taxes being enforced on households. There should be a fair distribution of refugees across all the countries of the Union, according to their capacities. New social and economic policies for growth should be pursued with the aim of protecting the environment and ensuring sustainable development for the benefit of the peoples.
We shall continue to fight for support to be provided to small businesses, the creation of new quality jobs, the protection of working people’s labour rights, the strengthening and expansion of collective agreements and for increases in the minimum wage.
We are struggling for the practical implementation of the Istanbul Convention on the elimination of gender-based violence and the promotion of real gender equality. We shall continue to fight for the safeguarding of human rights, the protection of the right to housing, the utilisation of the European directive on unfair clauses, which is being violated in Cyprus.
The Cyprus problem and the need for a resumption of the talks to resolve it remains, of course, our top priority, with the Left Group our most consistent ally.
The aim is for AKEL to continue to assume the role of shadow Rapporteur on the Turkey EU progress report, to highlight the issue of Famagusta, the question of our missing persons and refugees, as well as the just demands of Turkish Cypriots.
We will also be actively involved in the efforts to re-establish the European Parliamentary Inquiry Committee for Pegasus and other spyware in order to deal effectively with illegal surveillances.
QUESTION: The rise of the far right in Europe is worrying. Are the groups of the European Parliament concerned about this issue? Because we see that some of them there are tolerant towards the far-right or even seeking cooperation with it.
GG: The growth of the far-right in Europe is of particular concern to the Left Group, which for some time now has been warning that the far-right is not some “other point of view”, nor is it anti-systemic force, as it wants to portray itself, but instead the political evolution of the post-war fascist and Nazi regimes that by definition fight against the interests of the peoples.
This is demonstrated both by the positions they express and by the way in which the far-right votes in the European Parliament. This, of course, does not concern the Right, conservative and liberal forces, as in most of their positions they align themselves with the far-right and its positions.
As a natural consequence, therefore, both Mr. Weber, as President of the Right-wing European People’s Party (EPP), and European Commission President von der Leyen do not rule out forging cooperation with the forces of the extreme right.
AKEL, but also the Group of the European United Left will continue to stand as a bastion of resistance and a bulwark to the rise of the far right. Our struggle is not easy, but we will not permit the rise of the far right which is attempting to drive Europe back to backwardness and barbarism.
QUESTION: Does the fact that the issue of the growth of the far right was not discussed as much as it should have been during the election campaign convey any messages?
GG: The growth of the far-right with the disastrous consequences this has for society is an issue that was raised, first and foremost and primarily by AKEL. However, the far-right is growing, strongly, because certain forces and circles are normalizing the far-right and using it, whilst others tolerate it. Some may have acquired a momentary sensitivity on the issue of the rise of the ultra-right during the election campaign, primarily because they were losing voters from their own electoral base to the far-right, but they avoided discussing the substance of the issue, because the far-right acts as the reserve force of the Right.
This relationship between the Right-wing and the far-right can be observed both in Europe, where they are in government together or collaborating in several countries, as well as in Cyprus too, where DISY and far-right ELAM party in crucial elections are in alignment. Besides, the Right and the far-right have also acted as communicating vessels for their rise to the highest political offices and posts.
– EU leadership contest: history repeats itself as tragedy
QUESTION: What’s your opinion about the procedures for the election of the new leading posts of the EU?
GG: We are spectators observing the same spectacle… And history is repeating itself as a tragedy. The essence is being decided behind the closed doors of the European Council in Brussels. Behind the scenes consultations and dealings, involving everyone – except the Left – for the sharing of the EU’s highest institutional posts and offices. We are waiting to see…At some point they will present us with the result of the wheeling and dealing between them.
The posts will be reallocated, again, not on the basis of any competence, but on the basis of a transaction between a few. The example of the sharing of the EU’s highest institutional offices by the ruling powers demonstrates the extent of the EU’s democratic deficit. A deficit that is also reflected in the way the EU reacts to the problems the peoples of Europe are confronted with today.
Without any illusions, the Left will continue to struggle to build an EU that takes decisions based on the needs of the peoples and not on the interests of the ruling circles and the profits of the big companies.
