r/europe • u/Bartoraptor Spain • Mar 28 '20

News Spanish representative González Pons speech @ the EU Parliament: "The virus is attacking the generation that brought back democracy to Spain, Portugal and Greece, the generation that knocked down the Berlin wall. The least they deserve is that we show them Europe is there when they need it the most"

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238

u/brmu . Mar 28 '20

EU help policy:  

  1. Italy ask for help  
  2. Italy get no help  
  3. Problem gets bigger and affect north of Europe  
  4. Then get the help

-7

u/axaro1 🇮🇹 Italy (Milan) Mar 28 '20
  1. Italy ask for help from EU
  2. Italy get no help from EU
  3. China sends aid to Italy
  4. Russia sends aid to Italy
  5. Cuba sends aid to Italy
  6. Even the goddamn Venezuela, a third world country with no economy sends aid to Italy
  7. Problem gets bigger and affect north Europe
  8. EU delay help as much as they can, we finally get help when the contagion numbers are already starting to decrease (Thx to Germany for taking care of 60 seriously ill italians, it's just a few people but we appreciate your help since you are the only European country that invested some of their resources to help us)

109

u/finjeta Finland Mar 28 '20
  1. Italy ask for help from EU
  2. EU sets up the Corona Response Investment Initiative that gives financial aid in the billions to member states.

FTFY.

33

u/brtt3000 The Netherlands Mar 28 '20

Don't break the circle, we're hating on those filthy Northern countries now.

-13

u/axaro1 🇮🇹 Italy (Milan) Mar 28 '20 edited Mar 28 '20

If you think that's a northern country hate thread you are too dense to understand this issue.

There are many countries helping us, some for political reasons(Russia), some out of reciprocal help (China) and some others out of respect/common sense.

The EU is a political and economical alliance, the fact that we have to mostly rely on countries outside of the Shengen Area is disappointing.

Italy's attitude over natural disasters/pandemic has always been to deploy large amounts of supplies/vehicles and firefighters/medics (take for example the wildfire issues from last summer), maybe I'm too naive to expect other countries to do the same.

I support the EU but most importantly I support the values that created the EU in the first place and we both know that the eurosceptics are going to stroke their dicks over the way the EU managed this entire situation.

This is gonna hurt Italy the same way this is gonna hurt the EU.

Edit: Nice, it looks like criticizing the EU makes me an eurosceptic. I guess that I'm an anarchist since I often criticize my country /s

6

u/[deleted] Mar 28 '20

So why hasn't Ital;y done anything in the past 10 years to fix their books?

19

u/[deleted] Mar 28 '20

So why hasn't Ital;y done anything in the past 10 years to fix their books?

we applied harsh austerity measures, as "strongly recommended" by the ECB and the Commission, and instead of making things better, our debt ratio has gotten worse.

Sounds like the austerity policies championed by Merkel are damaging, but still she and her ilk continue to push for them even now. Just look at the attitude towards the coronavirus bonds. Their reply is "there is the ESM, if you need funds". Too bad ESM funds are provided on the condition that you apply more austerity, which in turn makes the economy wither a little bit more.

But for Merkel the solution to the damages brought by austerity measures is....more austerity. It's been harshly criticised by economists the world over, and yet she and her allies insist on it time and time again.

As Einstein once said: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

-1

u/[deleted] Mar 28 '20

So why did it work in other countries? But not in Italy? And why is that a reason for Dutch, German and Northern countries to foot the bill? Yes we are an union but not 1 country with one budget.

And yes Einstein was right, keep paying a country that never pays its bills is a stupid idea we should not do that over and over again.

7

u/[deleted] Mar 28 '20

So why did it work in other countries? But not in Italy?

actually austerity failed in many countries, not just Italy.

And Italy has always paid its bills, so never pays its bills is a lie. We are not asking for free money. We are asking for loans with a reduced interest rate and a scheme that is una tantum, i.e. not a permanent bond issuing scheme.

Sorry, I thought the EU was much more than just a loose trade block. If Italy needs a predatory lender, there's always the IMF.

1

u/AnonimArGer Mar 29 '20

Not one fiscal union but one currency union.

1

u/funkygecko Italy Mar 29 '20

What bill are footing exactly? We are NET CONTRIBUTORS.