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Yesterday [13 July], after 17 hours of negotiations, Heads of State of the Eurozone finalised a possible deal with Greece. There was a will to keep Greece in the Eurozone and to maintain European unity – but at what price?

As Social Platform, we had clear expectations of the outcome. Last Thursday we asked for the rights and well-being of people to be at the heart of negotiations. However when I read the summit statement, not only were our calls ignored but the demands imposed on Greece became even harsher than a week ago. Political leaders of the Eurozone are demanding the Greek population pay an outrageous price.

Just a week after the “No” referendum, I am astonished that there is no mention of “people”, “social”, or “well-being” in the objectives of the summit statement. It gets worse; the Greek government has to amend “legislations that were introduced counter to the February 20 agreement by backtracking on previous programme commitments or identify clear compensatory equivalents for the vested rights that were subsequently created”. In layman’s terms, Greece has to repeal rights that are now infringed upon by the new agreement.

The attack on rights continues in the form of external controls over collective bargaining, which ensures the promotion and protection of workers’ rights. Bernadette Ségol, the European Trade Union Confederation’s Secretary-General, hits the nail on the head with her assessment that “the emphasis on pension and labour market reforms shows that it is ordinary people who will pay the price”.

I also wonder about the price paid by democracy in Greece. The European and international institutions will effectively control the Greek democratic apparatus; the deal states that “the government needs to consult and agree with the institutions on all draft legislation in relevant areas with adequate time before submitting it for public consultation or to Parliament”. The likelihood of having another referendum or a humanitarian crisis bill is extremely low.

I am not deaf to the arguments from the creditors’ side concerning the Greek government’s lack of implementation of structural reforms, and I understand them wanting to secure guarantees that their plan will be implemented. However, how invasive will these guarantees be in the national democratic process? How detrimental will the impact be on fundamental rights? The price of unity seems to be exorbitantly high. Some say #ThisIsACoup.

I want to thank our members who mobilised quickly in this crucial moment to stand up for the people of Greece at a time when it seems that Europe may have forgotten them. The feeling that Europe is at a crossroads has never been so strong.

Let’s engage!

Pierre Baussand, Director of Social Platform