European Parliament
Zita Gurmai  (S&D ). -
Mr President, like many of us in the House, I am somewhat torn. On the one hand, I can appreciate that the majority of European decision-makers recognise the need for immediate action in order to handle the crisis, which I agree is no longer solely economic.
On the other hand, I am convinced that our point of departure is not the proper one. Of course we cannot do without financial stability and strict rules but, in my opinion, the root of the problem is that there has not been enough attention paid to and emphasis on growth, employment and social inclusion. Understandably, the majority of the conservative leaders were too preoccupied with the austerity measures, which was a big mistake.
In addition, I am not convinced about the way in which the crisis is being handled. We should follow the Community method because we cannot let Europe diverge from what it represents – the foundation of European construction, a way of working together, irrespective of the differences between the Member States.
Apart from this, I underline an important point. The European Parliament is the only directly elected body among the institutions. Our President should fully participate in the Euro summits.

