Greece Could Be Dangerous As Ukraine

Former Prime Minister and MEP Alfred Sant told the European Parliament that Greece could be dangerous as Ukraine unless it is treated with farsightedness. Alfred Sant made this statement at the key debate in plenary at the European Parliament in Strasbourg ahead of today’s informal meeting of the EU’s Head of States in Brussels who will discuss the situation in Ukraine, the fight against terrorism and the monetary and economic union. Sant said that in reality the informal meeting has two items on its agenda – the situation in the Ukraine and Greece.
Alfred Sant said that at the initial stages of negotiations with Greece, if any take place, brinkmanship could fast become the order of the day. If taken too far, this could lead to an unforgivable collapse. He said the bailout plan for Greece has not worked. It has imposed too many sufferings on the Greek people. Therefore it must be radically restructured. Perhaps too the eurozone has to be restructured over the medium term even if this will initially appear to be a weakening of the EU’s immense soft power in Europe and elsewhere. If negotiations with Greece are to go beyond brinkmanship, the values that must be asserted need to go beyond technical considerations to tap the sources of a meaningful solidarity.
Alfred Sant said that Governments which have lent billions of their citizens’ monies cannot be expected to write off those amounts overnight. However the people of Greece cannot be expected to give up for too long the prospects of a decent life. They only have one to live.

Maltese Version

‘IL-GREĊJA TISTA’ TKUN PERIKOLUŻA DAQS L-UKRAJNA’

Alfred Sant qal lill-Parlament Ewropew li l-qagħda fil-Greċja tista’ tkun perikoluża daqs il-qagħda fl-Ukrajna jekk ma tiġix ittrattata b’dehen li jħares fil-bogħod. Sant kien qed jikkummenta fil-Plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew fi Strasburgu lejlet il-laqgħa informali tal-Kapijiet tal-pajjiżi tal-Unjoni Ewropea tal-lum il-Ħamis fi Brussels li se jiddiskutu l-Ukrajna, il-ġlieda konra t-terroriżmu u l-għaqda monetarja. Sant qal li fil-veritá, il-Kunsill informali għandu biss żewġ materji għad-diskussjoni — il-qagħda fl-Ukrajna u fil-Greċja.
‘Tal-aħħar tista’ tkun perikoluża daqs tal-ewwel, jekk ma tiġix trattata b’dehen li jħares ‘il bogħod. Fl-ewwel stadji tan-negozjati mal-Greċja, jekk dawn se jseħħu, malajr jista’ jiġri li ż-żewġ naħat jersqu qrib ħafna tax-xifer. Jekk dil-ħaġa tittieħed wisq ‘il bogħod nistgħu naslu għal kollass inaċċettabli. Jekk in-negozjati mal-Greċja se jmorru lil hinn minn manuvrar qrib xifer l-irdum, il-valuri li għandhom jiġu mħaddma jridu jissuperaw konsiderazzjonijiet tekniċi biex ifittxu l-għeruq ta’ solidarjetà ġenwina.’
Alfred Sant qal li l-pjan ta’ salvataġġ tal-Greċja ma rnexxiex. Terġa’, impona wisq tbatija fuq il-poplu Grieg. Għalhekk għandu jkun ristrutturat bil-qawwa. Forsi wkoll li ż-żona tal-ewro se jkollha tiġi ristrutturata fuq medda medja ta’ żmien anke jekk għall-ewwel dan jista’ jidher bħala li se jdgħajjef xi ftit is-“soft power” immens li tipposjedi l-Unjoni Ewropea fl-Ewropa u lil hinn minnha.
Alfred Sant qal li wieħed ma jistax jistenna li gvernijiet li sellfu biljuni mill-flus taċ-ċittadini tagħhom se jkunu lesti li jaħfruhom mil-lum għal għada. Madankollu lanqas ma wieħed jistenna li l-poplu Grieg se jneħħi għal żmien twil iżżejjed kull prospett li xi darba se jkun jista’ jgħix ħajja diċenti. Għandu ħajja waħda biss x’jgħix.