The need to re-establish independent national currencies

international | eu | opinion/analysis Thursday December 12, 2013 16:35 by O. O'C. - National Platform EU Research & Information Centre 24 Crawford Avenue, Dublin 9 +353-1-8305792

Statement of the Athens EPAM / United People's Front, Greece

At a time when the Government is advancing the ridiculous proposition that the Irish State is "regaining its economic sovereignty" by leaving the Eurozone bailout, sensible people will be more concerned at the possibility of a Cypriot-style "bail-in" for the Irish banks, entailing confiscation of customer deposits over €100,000, as the euro-currency crisis continues and the planned EU "banking union" makes provision for such steps.
The continuing Eurozone crisis was discussed at the EPAM conference in Athens, Greece, last weekend week.
At this event representatives of organisations from different EU countries agreed on the vital need for the Eurozone States to re-establish their national currencies and work towards the dissolution of the Eurozone, which is destroying the democracy of the peoples and States that use the euro and wreaking economic destruction and social misery on country after country.
Below for your information is a copy of the joint press statement that was issued after this conference on behalf of the participant organisations.
It was signed by Anthony Coughlan on behalf of the above organisation.

Athens, cradle of European democracy, 1 December 2013

During the weekend of 30 November/1 December 2013 representatives of peoples' movements and economists from across Europe and some other countries held a successful meeting in Athens, Greece.

The meeting was organised on the initiative of EPAM, the United People's Front, Greece, on the subject of "Debt, national currencies and democracy". From the start of the meeting it was clear that the participants held common views and aim for a close cooperation on the basis of the following principles:-

1. The huge burden of debt has been imposed by banks through the euro-currency. It imprisons nations and enslaves peoples;

2. Leaving the euro and re-establishing national currencies is a fundamentally necessary condition for regaining national independence and pursuing full employment policies in the different countries;

3. There is a need to leave the EU itself under the provisions of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union;

4. Democracy has now become the critical issue in a European political environment in which the Eurozone governments – and those countries’ elites first and foremost – impose policies which are leading Europe towards a new feudal system that is run by the markets and is against the interests of peoples and citizens across our continent.

The euro, like all other collective monetary unions, will sooner or later collapse. The sooner each country leaves the euro, the better.

The dilemma facing the peoples of Europe is this: either the dictatorship of the markets, or democracy and an economy based on the needs of the peoples.

The meeting closed its work with the folllowing conclusions and the commitment that:-

a) The two-day Athens Meeting is the start of a steady and active cooperation between the movements which took part, in the framework of mutual respect for the national identity and autonomy of each one;

b) The meeting will be the beginning of the liberation of peoples of Europe, who deserve to build their own democracies and their own economies;

c) The participants, although they are representatives of democratic movements and against any form of extremism, suffer from being banned from mainstream media. However they observe that in every country the same mainstream media give extended coverage to far-right parties and movements, with a view to confusing citizens by associating the need to leave the euro and the EU with far-right, extremist ideology;

d) All participants in this international meeting commit themselves to intensifying their efforts in their respective countries, while working to increase the number of movements across Europe and more widely which support the steps outlined at the Athens meeting.

Singed by:

1. EPAM (United People’s Front) – Greece

2. Union Républicaine Populaire – France

3. Per Il Bene Commune – Italy

4. Asociación Democracia Real Ya – Spain

5. Campaign for an Independent Britain – Britain

6. Alza Il Pugno/Eurotruffa – Italy

7. Economia Per I Cittadini – Italy

8. The National Platform – Ireland

9. Mouvement Politique d’Emancipation Populaire – France

10. IPU – Finland