European Parliament
A7-0292/2011
Nikolaos Chountis  (GUE/NGL ),
Blue-card answer
. –
(EL)
I will answer the last question first, because perhaps what I said was not correctly understood. The banks will benefit, I do not deny it. Perhaps, therefore, I have been misunderstood.
As for the rest of what you said, Mr Martin, I do not disagree, but I will put the matter on its real basis or, at least ask this: ‘what times are we living in?’ and if income is reduced, the question: ‘what economic circumstances are we living in today and what economic circumstances is the European Union in?’ becomes a very weighty question. I imagine that you cannot deny that and the fact that this recession and austerity are cutting income is not just Greece’s problem. That being so, as you saw, I addressed this issue with comments which, that given, might improve it.

