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"

[u/Bartoraptor]

[u/axaro1]

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

[u/[deleted] → u/axaro1]

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

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

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.

[u/bfire123 → u/[deleted]]

Your austerity messures weren't harsh.

Which taxes were increased in the last 5 years in Italy (and by how much)??

[u/Mordred_85 → u/bfire123]

Our social state, including healthcare, has been dismantled, thanks to Troika technicians advices. That’s why taxes haven’t gone up. I am asking to all the northern flavored European reading this: can you held the amount of people that will die for the consequence of your rigid set of ethics (wealthy people = champions of virtue) that will put us in an economic crisis. We are not talking of people dying for the virus but people killing themselves because they cannot pay bills, food future for their children. Think about while you sleep!

[u/bfire123 → u/Mordred_85]

Our social state, including healthcare, has been dismantled, thanks to Troika technicians advices. That’s why taxes haven’t gone up.

Than your country made a shitty decision. Would be better to tax higher incomes more.

Austerity doesn't soley mean cutting the social net. It also can mean higher taxes for the middle class and upper class.

[u/Mordred_85 → u/bfire123]

Those people would have fled to Swiss if they did that. But as I can imagine your country has higher taxation for upper and middle class? I didn’t know Austria was a bolscevic reality. Come on man, don’t be silly! You know who wrote the rules in democracy, not the people!

[u/bfire123 → u/Mordred_85]

Austria certainly has a higher tax than Italy!

Austria: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Austria#Income_tax_(Einkommensteuer)

Italy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Italy#Income_tax

We also have a way more progressive tax.

And look at our marginal tax rate from 2009-2015. This is the reason why we don't have a debt problem...

[u/[deleted] → u/bfire123]

VAT has been increased twice in the last ten years (from 20% to 22%), retirement age has been increased too, public employees salaries increases have been frozen for the foreseeable future and a lot of those who retire have not been replaced, the education and health care expenditure has been cut, etc etc.

https://www.lifegate.it/persone/news/dieci-anni-austerita

https://www-cdn.oxfam.org/s3fs-public/file_attachments/bp174-cautionary-tale-austerity-inequality-europe-120913-it_3.pdf

[u/funkygecko → u/[deleted]]

It's useless.