Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-11-28

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Tsipras at Guardian: The Left can rebuild a more democratic Europe

[01] Tsipras at Guardian: The Left can rebuild a more democratic Europe

In the article, which promotes his candidacy for the European Commission presidency with the European Left party, Tsipras referred to the explosion of the unemployment rate, noting that "over 1,000 young people a day are joining the ranks of Europe's unemployed". He said the human tragedy particularly hard on Greece: "The economic and humanitarian catastrophe is unprecedented in peacetime".

The humanitarian crisis, he said, is not particular to Greece, given that the latest Red Cross figures said that 120 million people are enduring conditions of extreme difficulty in Europe. "This is not a natural phenomenon, but is, to use Nelson Mandela's words, 'manmade poverty'," he said.

According to the main opposition leader, "Zealots for neoliberalism have turned ordinary people's lives upside dow. Their structural adjustment policies serve a model of economic governance that transfers risk on to the shoulders of the ordinary workers and the young. But the response of EU and national leaders is hopeless."

Tsipras charged that "the European leaders who claim that the current medicine is a 'success' are hypocrites. For millions of people, the European dream has turned into a nightmare...The European elections next May provide an opportunity to start a real dialogue with the people - especially those who feel that no one cares for them - about a new basis for meaningful democracy and human dignity".

In his article, he said that "Europe needs an anti-austerity and anti-recession front, a solidarity movement for its working people, north and south. This could deliver a pact for democracy, development and social justice...to break down the new dividing line between Europe's rich and poor".

Referring to his candidacy, Tsipras said that itis motivated by the Left party's desire to "reunite Europe and rebuild it on a more democratic and progressive basis." He concluded, "There is an alternative to the present crisis and it is our duty and destiny to fight for it."

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