International

SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong has described new proposals from the European Commission as ‘the latest example of European budget fetishism’. They are, he says, ‘aimed lopsidedly at budgetary discipline. With these measures the European Commission is trying to resolve the Eurocrisis with a calculator and no heart.’ In the SP’s view the proposals are technocratic and fail to understand that intelligent policy always demands a consideration of a range of interests. As De Jong says ‘ you don’t need a degree in economics to know that if every member state cuts its spending at the same time, the whole of Europe will have to deal with negative economic growth. What we’re risking here are years of recession.’

Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager considers that ‘with the knowledge we have now the euro would not have been introduced.’ During the annual debate on the national budget in the Senate, De Jager told SP Senator Geert Reuten that there were many flaws in the euro which it was now difficult to do anything about. At the time of the euro’s introduction these flaws were pointed out by a large number of sceptical economists as well as by the SP. Then, they weren’t listened to. But now...