Did austerity cause a humanitarian crisis in Greece?

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Interviewed by Euronews a few days ago, Greek Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos, stressed that a new narrative for Europe is necessary, if the youth across the continent are to embrace its ideal once again and not interpret it as equal to austerity, unemployment, shrinking incomes, poverty and vanishing prospects. Assuming the EU's presidency on January 8, in Athens and all the way to the next European elections in May, the Greek government is planning to serve this cause, he said.

A new European narrative should be articulated along the lines of culture, history, democracy, the famous European welfare state, as well as growth and innovation, Venizelos suggested. Surprisingly, he believes that Greece could become a source of inspiration as tragedy is turning to success.

Venizelos was referring to the projection of a primary surplus of 6 percent in Greece this year, which is the greatest fiscal adjustment a modern Western economy has ever succeeded in making in a five-year period. Greece entered the crisis with a deficit of 12 percent in 2009.

No one could disagree with such a declaration of principles, especially when Eurosceptic and far right wing forces are on the rise across the continent. However, the validity of the statement, coming from the people who created the problem in the first place, is at least questionable. If Greece were to use the presidency as a chance to articulate such a narrative, it should resist the imposed austerity.

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