International

Emile Roemer this evening welcomed Bolivian President Evo Morales as his guest. President Morales, who is on an official visit to the Netherlands, had specifically asked to meet the SP leader. ‘It doesn’t of course happen every day that a foreign head of state asks for a meeting with me’ says Roemer. ‘In that sense I feel extremely honoured.’

Emile Roemer and Evo Morales

The discussion focused primarily on the consequences of the crisis for Europe and the world and the way in which this can be combatted in a socially progressive fashion. ‘Of course we had our differences,’ says Roemer, ‘and these also formed part of our discussion, but what unites us is the realisation that social emancipation and the fair division of our wealth are of essential importance.’

SP Senate leader Tiny Kox, Emile Roemer, Party National Secretary Hans van Heijningen and SP parliamentary spokesman on foreign affairs Harry van Bommel, MP

Morales emphasised the giant steps which Bolivia has taken in recent years. Until 2005 the country recorded an annual budget deficit, but since 2006 this has not occurred, while state reserves have risen from $1.8bn to $13bn.

Evo Morales
He went on to say that Bolivia remained in many respects a poor country, but that slowly but surely it was taking the first steps on the way to becoming a society in which people had the chance for a decent existence. In addition, many more children were going to school, Bolivia had in recent years recorded strong economic growth and had established an ambitious plan to combat poverty.

A lively and enjoyable discussion ended with an invitation from the President of Bolivia to Emile Roemer to go to Bolivia to see for himself the situation in the country.