The policies followed today in the European Union are catastrophic and in order for it to have a future it should “change course,” Cypriot MEP Neoklis Sylikiotis has said.

He has proposed that there needs to be a change in the different powers at play both in EU institutions and the larger member states.

Sylikiotis (GUE/NGL) was speaking during a round table discussion with Cypriot journalists in the context of a seminar organised by the European Parliament and the European Commission.

“It is obvious that the EU is on a very difficult path,” he said. According to him the economic and political EU elites are blind to all the troubles in the EU because these troubles are a result of the policies they followed in the past and are continuing to follow.

The Cypriot MEP spoke of the democratic deficit of the EU and of a policy which “makes large sections of the population poorer.” To that effect he said that in Cyprus 25% lives under the poverty line while even in rich member states such as Germany that percentage is at 15% of the population.

According to Sylikiotis if the same policies continue the tendencies to leave the EU will also continue while a rise of the far right will be supported.

Referring in particular to the European Parliament he pointed out that it does not have the right to propose legislation despite been directly elected.  We believe that this policy must change, he said.

Referring in particular to the member states which recovered from the crisis he said he does not consider that Cyprus or Ireland are “success stories”.  According to Sylikiotis the only success story is Portugal because it achieved economic growth having put an end to austerity policies. It increased pensions, established collective workers contracts and increase the minimum wage, he noted.

There is another way to tough fiscal austerity, and that is the prospect of the Left`s proposal for a Europe of the people and of social prosperity, he said.