Austerity demonstration

Green MEPs will take part in the Euro-demonstration against austerity measures in Brussels today, as part of the wider European Day of Action (1). The Greens will join with workers from across Europe to protest against the austerity measures recently adopted by many European countries and calling for investment in employment creation. Ahead of the demonstration, Danish Green MEP Emilie Turunen said:

"The Greens are fully behind today's Europe-wide action against the austerity measures being pursued by many European governments. The exclusive focus on cuts in the name of fiscal prudence will not only exacerbate growing social inequalities, hitting the most vulnerable the hardest, it will also jeopardise our social and economic recovery by stymieing investments in Europe's future."

Belgian Green MEP Philippe Lamberts (Ecolo) added:

"While sound public finances are an essential condition for a sustainable economy, the exclusive focus of most EU governments on fiscal austerity is both socially unfair and economically wrong. The preoccupation with cuts risks condemning Europe to a downward economic spiral, undermining the prospects of a domestic-driven recovery."

(1) The Greens will gather at Trone/Troon at 14.00 before joining the demonstration.