Translated "Avante!" article by Angelo Alves, Member of the PCP Political Committee and Member of the International Department
Rare are the moments when great powers or international institutions clearly and objectively reflect their thoughts, choices, decisions or analyses. Reality is hindered in a smoke curtain. What one reads,listens or rarely sees, corresponds to the truth of facts and the true objectives of those who detain power. The commentary is, à propos, of the recent events in the European Union, which apparently contradict this thesis.
One assists, for some weeks, to the “sanctions” soap against Portugal and Spain. Some days ago, Jean Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, stated that “France is France” and therefore, was never chastised for its “excessive default” and the non-compliance of the Stability Pack “rules”. He is right and tells the truth the PCP always denounced. But Juncker ought to also state: “Germany is Germany”. Once again he would be right and saying the truth. In March last, that country registered record numbers concerning the external commercial surplus – namely 30,4 and 26 thousand million Euro – a “violation” of the rules, since 2013. And it was equally not sanctioned. And all this proves for what and to whom both the Euro and the EMU serve.
Juncker committed a sin, by loudly saying what is said off the record, in Brussels. As expected, his statement rose reactions. The “rigour” and impartiality propaganda wall, had broken up a fissure. The counterpoint was Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Euro group leader, who immediately accused Juncker of mining the Commission’s credibility, calling upon severe punishment for all “sinners”. On the other hand, Martin Schulz, the European Parliament president came over to Lisbon to say he disagreed with the sanctions, but immediately after, defended the “ five presidents’ report” central axis (signed by Juncker, Schulz and Dijsselbloem among others) that defends, among other issues, the Stability Pack hardening, fiscal policy centralization, a Treasury for the Euro Zone and an European finance minister.
The “sanctions” soap reveals two major elements about the European Union reality, which are in the origin of the “presidents” conjectural disagreements. The first, is that the EU is immersed in multiple crisis. Economic, social, political and legitimacy. A crisis that incites rivalries, that have always existed along the capitalist integration process and that, the deeper it is, more disturbances are created amid the consensus and “ balances” among different sectors, belonged to the great capital and between the right-wing and social democracy.
The second is the calendar, and June 23 and 26 next – the Great Britain referendum and elections in Spain. Till then, the “sanctions” soap will generate extensive comments, and the probability of not being applied is almost total. The reason is on what is planned with this “discussion” – all statements point out in that direction – to be by dramatization, to follow the path for a further “flexibility” and “tolerance” image and a post-June “refunding” agenda, together with a “new European unity”, therefore saving the “European project”. The purpose is clear: keep intact and deepen the domain and imposition mechanisms, which none of the performers question.
Juncker said the truth? Yes. But his objective (as well as Schulz’) is not to question the Stability Pact. On the contrary, but save it from within the EU framework crisis and the very deep capitalism crisis, as recently stated and recognized by the G7 and that ought to soon suffer new explosion episodes concerning the economic field. And that is the real truth.