Jean Lambert, who represents London in the European Parliament, also called for an end to the delays in providing funds to Greece, which she said was damaging the EU’s credibility and pushing Greece to the brink.

Speaking ahead of a meeting between Eurozone Finance Ministers and the European Commission later today, she said:

“Despite the Greek government having delivered what was required by the Troika, ensuring the passage of more painful cuts, the release of bailout funds is again being delayed.

“This continual shifting of goalposts on the terms of Greece’s bailout is damaging the EU’s credibility, pushing Greece to the brink and exacerbating the severe consequences for Greece’s society, further weakening the Greek government.

“Even the IMF has acknowledged  that the policy of  attacking pensions and welfare benefits, while drastically reducing state salaries  has been counter-productive, plunging the country deeper into recession, whilst causing massive social hardship. With the social and health systems in a state of collapse, there is no more room for fiscal contraction.

“The EU needs to get real on Greece’s unsustainable public finances and debt: greater flexibility is clearly needed to resolve this crisis.”

She added: “A Quartet is need, not a Troika: we should add the ILO to the mix, to ensure that social and labour standards are protected.

“An EU programme to promote sustainable economic recovery and employment must be introduced with thout delay, while the failure to tackle massive tax avoidance cannot continue.”

The post Jean calls for EU to stop shifting goalposts on Greek bailout appeared first on Jean Lambert MEP.