TOGETHER WE SAY THAT ANOTHER EUROPE IS POSSIBLE
Actualités / 19 oct. 2013
Aller aux actualitésThe aim of ELP is the construction of a united left alternative against the policies of austerity
The aim of ELP is the construction of a united left alternative against the policies of austerity
Pierre Laurent announced the next ELP Congress taking place in Madrid in December from...
The aim of ELP is the construction of a united left alternative against the policies of austerity
Pierre Laurent announced the next ELP Congress taking place in Madrid in December from 13th to 15th
Pierre Laurent, President of the European Left Party (ELP), presented this morning in Madrid the IV Congress of the ELP, which will be held in Madrid from 13th to 15th December. He did it in a press conference, in the head office of Izquierda Unida (IU) and of the Communist Party of Spain, along with his hosts Cayo Lara (IU) and José Luis Centella (PCE) and the general coordinator of Esquerra Unida i Alternativa (EUiA) Joan Josep Nuet, the leaders of three parties of the Spanish territory that are part of the ELP, which is a party integrated by nearly 40 parties of the alternative left in Europe.
The leader of the European Left Party situated the Congress and the upcoming European elections in may 2014 in a "period of struggle against the austerity policy and violations of democracy and the sovereignty of peoples in all countries due to the neoliberal policy carried out by European leaders and the Troika". But beyond the analysis of the situation and the resistance to the policy of austerity, Laurent stressed that the main target of the EL is the construction of the Left Alternative for Europe which is able to play the role of a locomotive for all the forces against the austerity policies.
Pierre Laurent explained that the Congress, in addition to opening a new phase, will work in the preparation of the next European elections where "we have the ambition to increase and extend the forces of the alternative left in Europe and show support and solidarity to the popular majority".
The Federal Coordinator of United Left, Cayo Lara, also aimed at the need for the growth of the left in the European Parliament regretting at the same time the low weight it now has against other organizations that make decisions without having gone through the ballot box.
In any case, the goal is to continue adding forces to try to reach agreements on common programs to work on this common objective of another possible Europe.
Cayo Lara explained that the Spanish situation is similar to the European one: privatizations, dismantling of the Social State, unfair distribution of wealth, budget cuts... He pointed out that in Spain this year 2 million jobs could be created with the money we are going to pay as debt interests. The ELP Congress is important to share these questions and that the most suffering countries can agree on common actions facing the interests of the market represented by the Troika.
Joan Josep Nuet , the general coordinator of Esquerra Unida i Alternativa (EUiA) -Izquierda Unida's political reference in Catalonia- spoke about the new project for Europe against this neoliberal Europe which has lead us to failure and scepticism. He warned about the danger of euro-scepticism reminding us that people in towns and urban areas think of Europe as the responsible of cuts, loss of rights and violence. He insisted on the need of explaining and understanding that “Europe is worth it but another Europe”, a Europe based on the sum and collaboration of the left and the peoples”. Without it Europe can fail.
The general secretary of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE), José Luis Centella, denounced the tolerance of the European right with fascism while it criminalizes social movements and despises historical memory, thus helping fascism. He also denounced there are too many Lampedusas in European quarters. “The alternative is to regenerate democracy, to recover the capacity of the Parlament to decide about the general budgets, for example in Spain this budget has been cut in 19 million Euros as decides by the Troika.
The communist leader added that “this ELP Congress and its work towards the European elections will give us the chance for people to decide if they want a people's Europe or one depending on markets in which the Troika decides about the countries general budgets.
The press conference took place within the meeting of the presidents that form this great family and that get together twice a year. This time it was in Spain as the last meeting before the 4th Congress of the European Left Party.
Visit also the picture gallery on the Council of Chairpersons meeting here.
Original Language / EN
