Poverty is not just a word
Ten pages, fifteen paragraphs, thousands of words and poverty is mentioned only once in the conclusions of the heads of state after their meeting on 14-15 March (at the bottom of page nine for those looking for the needle in the haystack)!
This is exactly what I said last week, there is no consideration for what was set as a clear objective in 2010 for all the member states: to reduce the number of people in poverty by 20 million. And instead what do we get: 3,5 million more people living in poverty and a single word in the conclusions of our leaders.
The problem is not only the word, it’s the implementation. Most of the issues addressed by the council have practical implementation recommendations made to member states. For instance on the importance for everybody to pay their share of taxes, the union is going to look at energy taxation, a common corporate tax base and revision of the saving tax directive.
I don’t see that implementation proposal for poverty. My eyes can recognise a strategy laying out specific recommendations and tools to implement it. But all that cannot be wrapped up in the only sentence “it is crucial to tackle the social consequences of the crisis and fight poverty and social exclusion”.
Not addressing the issue will not make poverty fade away especially when the council itself stresses that “implementation continues to be the key” (page 2). But it misses the target: it talks about implementation to respond to microeconomic and structural challenges, stability convergence programmes.
The current crisis in Cyprus shows how fragile the results of the economic consolidation are. At the same time it gets more and more opposition from citizens. After Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Italy, now Cypriots are openly saying no to the Troika which wants to impose a taxation on their savings.
It’s time to ensure that decent life is ensured for all. Our declaration of human rights does not talk about competition and growth. It states that in any situation (taking into account that it was adopted after war or revolution), there are rights to be respected and enforced.
Let’s engage!
Pierre Baussand – Director
