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Anastasia Balezdrova

Eight million jobs, development and balancing of differences between the countries of the European north and south say they can achieve by 2015 the European socialists. In their alternative economic plan that will be discussed and voted on at tomorrow's meeting of the party, held in Athens is also proposed the issuance of Eurobonds and the formation of a robust mechanism for mutual assistance. This is according to them for the benefit of all countries and will be calming for the markets with the aim to decrease the interest rates.

President of the Party of the European Socialists Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, underlined the need European Union leaders to take important decisions in the critical summit on 25 March. He pointed out that they have to decide on reducing interest rates for Greece and Ireland, as well as the strengthening of European financial mechanism.

Poul Rasmussen criticized the conservative majority in Europe, especially Germany and France, which he accused of lacking solidarity.

"What we want from them is to give a guarantee of solidarity and unity."

Poul Rasmussen send a clear message to Berlin about the need to undertake a common European position. "The time has come for Angela Merkel to recognize that her country will only benefit from synergies with the other Europeans. It is not in the interest of the country to be dominant".

He also urged the European Council to decide on the issuance of Eurobonds and announced he is in favor of the introduction of tax on financial transactions.

Poul Rasmussen opposed the Treaty on competitiveness, which Germany and France want to impose. "This is not a tool to tackle the crisis. It is not possible to use one yardstick for all countries. Thus the difference between north and south will become even greater. What should happen is to inject more funds into the financial mechanism to enable markets to calm down."

He also said that Greece has done everything necessary and said "Greece is in good hands, and Europe is in the wrong ones."

As historical he described the Summit on 25^th March and the Greek Prime Minister. George Papandreou urged the European leaders to take bold decisions "to exit from the crisis and start acting upon the perspectives for development".

According to George Papandreou the markets want the European Union to establish a strong, resilient and efficient fund. "Joseph Stiglitz told me once that conservative governments can not cope well with the markets because they see them as something divine, while the progressives regard them as tools for work," said the Greek Prime Minister, adding that Europe has in his hands the necessary tools and can take the right decisions in "this critical historical moment".

George Papandreou said that the Greek government has taken very bold decisions to tackle the crisis, but "the problems of Greece were specific and the decisions that affect our country can not be used as a model for the crisis in other countries. In this sense, Spain and Portugal do not resemble Greece and there should not be taken the same actions".

According to the Greek Prime Minister, there are alternative models of governance for the introduction of which, however, have to be taken bold decisions. As an example he pointed out the models of governance in the Nordic countries, where the "emphasis is on "green" development, education and better public services."

"We can turn the page and move to a new Europe," he said, adding that the European Union can not afford not to take the right decisions.