ALDE Group leader Guy Verhofstadtstarts a social media campaign to show the Greek people that the European Liberals and Democrats firmly believe that Greece and the rest of Europe belong together. Verhofstadt believes only united can we find a solution with the Greek people.
Guy Verhofstadt: "The Greek people are not to blame for this mess. A "yes" vote will show that they want Tsipras and Varoufakis to return to the negotiation table and try to find a solution together. That's why we have chosen this slogan: Yes, better together!"
ALDE invites people to use an application allowing all social media users (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) to show their solidarity adding a Greek flag over their profile photo to support the "Yes" campaign. Please check out the converter on:
http://bit.ly/1FU6l1b
To see Guy Verhofstadt`s new profile photo on his Facebook page and his videos to support the "Yes" campaign, please click:
https://www.facebook.com/GuyVerhofstadt
Please find below a more elaborate position of the Liberals and Democrats on the Eurozone crisis.
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A last chance for Greece: Three months for fundamental reform programme plus referendum to liberate Greece from its clientelistic system - "Greek government does not deserve it, but its people do." -
Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament, calls on the Eurozone leaders to give the negotiations with Greece three more months to work out a programme to fundamentally change the Greek political and economic system in combination with a structural debt solution arrangement.
28/06/2015
Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament, calls on the Eurozone leaders to give the negotiations with Greece three more months to work out a programme to fundamentally change the Greek political and economic system in combination with a structural debt solution arrangement.
"Varoufakis and the Eurozone leaders have to come back to their senses. A Grexit is a lose-lose situation: creditors lose their money and the Greek economy will further crumble. A Grexit will be seen by the world as an enormous management failure of a respected reserve currency."
"We need to drastically change our approach by agreeing on a three months reflection period to work out a reform programme that will drastically reform the Greek political and economic system. The current negotiations focussed on quick wins such as tax increases and pension cuts. It was a programme that puts the burden on the Greek population, but would leave the government and its bureaucracy untouched."
"The Greeks are not to blame for this mess, but their leaders are. It started with bad governance by Socialists and Conservatives and is pursued by a Communist government that continues previous policies of clientelism and puts the bill of their failure in the hands of their citizens."
"This has to stop. Economic growth can only return in Greece if radical reforms in the Greek political and economic culture take place. Let's use this crisis to give real change a chance. Three more months to hammer out a reform programme that takes the money from the government and its administration instead of its citizens."
"A reform programme that targets the entrenched corruption and clientelism, drastically reduces the costs of the Greek administration, opens up markets for entrepreneurs, ends the closed labour market by opening up access to professions and other fundamental reforms to make the Greek economy competitive again."
"If the Greek government accepts the programme, it should go hand in hand with a structural debt solution arrangement. With a Grexit the creditors lose their money anyway, so it is in everybody's interest to work out a sustainable debt solution arrangement."
"The Greek government should cancel this hastily organised referendum and replace it by one to be held on this new, deeper and more fundamental reform programme. This will give the Greek citizens the chance to order their political caste to undertake the reforms and it would give the creditors the guarantee that the Greek government would indeed execute what it promises."
"Instead of a hasty referendum against Europe, Tsipras should prepare a constructive, well prepared referendum to liberate Greece from its clientelistic system."
Sophie in 't Veld, ALDE Vice-Presidentadded: "The future of the Eurozone goes well over and beyond the Tsipras government and governments of the other Eurozone countries. We have a duty to future generations to preserve and fix the common currency."
"If we fail, the political and moral bankruptcy are bigger than the financial bankruptcy. This is the test for Europe: do we have the political strength to solve our problems. We have solved bigger issues. If Europe cannot solve this, we cannot solve any problem. The citizens of Europe are looking at us. Reason will have to prevail over pigheadedness and trench warfare."
"Let's take a step back and use a cooling off period to get the process back on track."