Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-17-Speech-3-047"
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"en.20000517.3.3-047"2
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"Ladies and gentlemen, the Pomés Ruiz report has the good fortune to assess the implementation of the stability and convergence programmes at a time when the economic climate has helped these programme achieve success. The rapporteur complains that the objectives are more the result of higher than expected tax revenues and the favourable development of interest rates than of the Member States’ own efforts. This perception betrays a rather narrow-minded budgetary policy. In my view, there is nothing reprehensible about being able to achieve balanced budgets through development rather than by imposing fasting and prayer on the Member States.
To try and balance the budget solely by cutting expenditure, while, at the same time, wanting to reduce taxation, is something which goes beyond economic restructuring and the spirit of the Stability Pact, at least in my understanding, to limiting the involvement of the public sector in the economy. It is something in addition to the Stability Pact. This trend can also be seen from the reference to the fact that tax and social contributions in Europe account for approximately 46% of GDP, while in the USA and Japan they only account for 30%. But they are higher in Europe because we have a social state. If Mr Pomés Ruiz’s group wishes to change the policy on the social state, it should table it clearly and not tack it on to the Stability Pact.
I did not find one single reference in the report which justified Greece’s being singled out, as Mr Karas has done, but I should like to say the following, now that the subject has been raised: it is irresponsible to say that inflation in Greece has only fallen over recent months. Inflation has fallen over eight years from 18% to 2%, thanks to constant and unstinting effort. I had hoped that we warranted more generous support for this tremendous effort, which has required sacrifices on the part of the Greek people.
To say that Greece will be unable to sustain the criteria, I am sorry, but that is prejudging the facts. How do we know that they cannot be sustained in Greece but they can be sustained in so many other countries of the European Union? The Greek people are determined to apply the criteria and they will show their determination in due course."@en1
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