As the focus has shifted from Grexit to Brexit, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, said if Britain voted to leave the European Union it would create economic and political turmoil in the EU.
“We all know a negative result, which all pro-European forces are hoping against, would have adverse economic effects on the entire European and world economy,” Tsipras said.
“Even worse, it would cause great turmoil in the process of European integration,” added the Greek PM.
This was expressed during his speech, yesterday at the annual general meeting of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) which was also attended by visiting European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
He also stressed the need for a dialogue to commence in the EU, focusing on the causes of the economic and political crisis, the reasons for the resurgence of national strategies and isolationism, plus the causes for the surge of nationalism and national conflicts.
Commenting on the upcoming negotiations in regards to labour issues, Tsipras called on all social partners to engage “In a fruitful and constructive dialogue,” for the improvement and restoring of labour relations and collective bargaining, which will lead to a new production model, which “Can only be based on mutual respect of the role of productive entities.”
He said reforms are needed in the labour market that will respect the “Social, psychological and creative sides of employment,” and will not reduce employees to a “Disposable component of the production process.”
Tsipras spoke against the extreme neoliberal approach of flexible employment, noting that reducing labour cost and deregulating the labour market is eventually unproductive. He said the EU’s values are reflected in the tradition of labour entitlements and the protection of labour rights and their defence passes through growth both for Greece and Europe.
He then added Europe also needs a common European industrial policy in the spirit of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), noting that CAP despite its contradictions and distortions set about 50 years ago two objectives: the continent’s nutritional adequacy and support of the agricultural and livestock income.
