Culture Action Europe is pleased to communicate the appeal signed on 10 June by the presidents of the Liaison Group with the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) urging politicians, media and opinion leaders to use with extreme care the remarks and comments they use on the negotiations between the Greek Government and the creditors.
CAE is appalled by the pushing prejudiced and negative labelling that positioned populations against each other used during the report of the “Greek Crisis” and beyond. This tendency, paired with the blame game among nations is extremely dangerous to the European construction as a whole.
CAE represents the culture sector within the Liaison Group, the intermediary between the EU institutions and organized civil society.
You can read the full appeal below.
Statement of the Liaison Group with European organizations and networks
of Civil Society
within the European Economic and Social Committee
Poisonous rhetoric is damaging European construction
The recent developments in Greece have led the European Union to a crossroads. The next few days will be crucial for establishing the basis of the Union for the upcoming decades. It is necessary to find a win-win solution beneficial to the European Union –and the Eurozone- as a whole.
The path to an agreement will be undeniably difficult and complex. Yet the often prejudiced and blaming rhetoric used by many politicians, media and opinion leaders over the past few months are making these negotiations even harder. Worst, they are damaging to the European construction as a whole.
This type of public language used can only have two outcomes. On the one hand, it will not be conducive to establishing the right environment required for the negotiators to find a win-win solution, beneficial for all people in Greece and Europe alike. This must surely be the objective of all those involved or interested in the current discussions. On the other hand, pushing prejudiced and negative labelling will only poison the minds of the general population against one another.
It is precisely this which is at stake here. In moments as important as these, it is absolutely essential for all Europeans to remember why the European Union came together to fight the pernicious mistakes of the past. Negative rhetoric has been so damaging to Europe in the past, let’s make sure it does not harm the Union’s present and indeed future.
We therefore call on politicians, media and opinion leaders to use with extreme care the remarks and comments they use on the current negotiations between the Greek Government and the creditors. Only through commitment to mutual respect and solidarity will the European construction and its values have a future and tangible solutions can be found.
Henri Malosse, EESC President, and Conny Reuter, Co-President of the Liaison Group EESC
