Cóir Date: 20.06.2010

In a recent meeting of trade union officials, the European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, predicted that democracy could 'collapse' in Greece, Spain and Portugal, should the austerity measures being enacted in those respective countries lead to civil unrest or military coup.

Mr Barroso's warning comes as Spain was downgraded by credit ratings agency, Fitch. On foot of this news, it has emerged that an emergency EU bail-out package being crafted for Spain, not unlike the EU bail-out for Greece. And, the Spanish bail-out, like that of Greece, will run into the hundreds of billions of Euro. And also like the Greek bail-out, the Spanish bail-out will come with conditions, namely, austerity measures.

There have already been general strikes and riots in Greece because of the unpopularity of the cuts in public sector pay, pensions and public services being imposed by their Government. And, protests in the other EU countries of Italy, Hungary and Romania have already occurred over public sector pay cuts.

But speaking to the head of the European Trade Union Congress, Barroso, looking into the future, stated bluntly: "Look, if they do not carry out these austerity packages, these countries could virtually disappear in the way that we know them as democracies."

On hearing about the Commission President's comments, Cóir spokesman, Brian T Hickey, had this to say: "No-one wants to see violence or military dictatorship, but Mr Barroso must realise that it is the unbridled political fantasy of the EU which has actually played a big role in this unfortunate, unfolding story. The price of a half-baked monetary union of vast import-export imbalances is that the public are deeply unhappy about the result."

Mr Hickey continued, saying: "At a time when so many people around Europe are feeling the pinch, Mr Barroso and his cohorts seem pleased to continue on the same track. It would seem that they, who are insulated by the money and perks which Brussels offers to its own, are not really so concerned with the real effects which the austerity measures will inflict on many Europeans, but rather on preserving their "empire" - seemingly at any cost. That is how Mr Barroso referred to the EU in the past…as an "empire", and it seems clear, especially in the light of the running of the second Lisbon Treaty here in Ireland, that "democracy" was never really that high on the list of priorities for the EU. So, it is curious that Mr Barroso now appears to be so alarmed. It is unfortunate that the EU wasted so many opportunities to demonstrate what true democracy is."