Bogomil talks with MEP Fabio de Masi

Fabio De Masi im Interview mit Bogomil Gospodinov auf my-europe.com

02.10.2014
Bogomil Gospodinov - my-europe.com

Fabio De Masi, MdEP im Interview mit Bogomil Gospodinov. Das Interview erschien zuerst auf my-europe.com

1. Who is Fabio de Masi and what is your most important issue in the new European Parliament?

Fabio is a young Italo German father of a five year old son, down to earth, a trained economist who loves vintage bikes and his collection of soul vinyl’s, hates business lunch small talks and fights against austerity and the financial lobby in Brussels. The most pressing issue is youth unemployment and a generation lost in precarious work.

2. Relying on your expertise in the field of International Relations and given the firm position of Die Linke towards the present-day sanctions against Russia, what would the alternative EU reaction be like if the Union was to follow more leftist policies?

More leftist policy would be more rational policy based on a pan European security framework including Russia and the respect for the sovereignty of the Ukraine. The latter should have a neutral status and serve as a bridge between West and East in Europe. As John Mearsheimer wrote in Foreign Affairs the EU and NATO shouldn’t have extended NATO borders towards east, erect a missile defense targeted at Russia in Europe, force Ukraine into division via a cooperation agreement that excluded equal cooperation of Ukraine with the Eurasian Economic Union and hijack a legitimate movement against corruption and oligarchs by sponsoring the very same figures such as Poroschenko and Tymoshenko who plundered their people before.

3. What policies should the EU implement in respect to a hypothetical wave of refugees from Ukraine in terms of funding, transparency and of course respecting human rights? Why does the EU seem to fail to learn its lesson after the Syrian and Libyan crises by not being able to either properly accommodate or integrate or repatriate the aforementioned?

I hope that the Ukraine conflict will be solved in a peaceful and diplomatic manner. However, it is absolutely fundamental and a general demand of my party that the EU and especially Germany have to help people in need who had to flee their countries. Our societies should be human, tolerant and inclusive. These people need proper facilities to live. In addition, of course, we need ask ourselves if people are forced to leave their homes due to EU policy. In how far and where does European policy worsen the prospects for a good and peaceful living?

4. Do you see the citizens of the European Union as victims of both the US espionage failures and the reflection of the sanctions against Russia? How can EU citizens be protected from spying and adverse effects?

It is worse than in George Orwell’s 1984: Literally every EU citizen is a victim to criminal US espionage. However, governments and secret services of EU member states closely corporate with the NSA and related security agencies. A first step would be EU asylum for whistleblowers such as Edward Snowden. Further, we need clear diplomatic measures against the breach of the Vienna convention which forbids using embassies and consulates as spying bases. Inflicted diplomats have to be requested to leave EU member states. Lastly, it is not just about the NSA but also Google and private monopolies which govern what we see, learn and think. Brazil has announced measures to keep any Brazilian data traffic within Brazilian borders. The EU should follow.

5. Should Germany and/or the EU lessen or strengthen its relationship with the US? Why?

Neither strengthen nor lessen. As in private life a relationship requires respect and sovereignty. Submission is no relationship. If the EU would demand equal footing from the US a true relationship could be build.

Das Interview erschien zuerst am 2.10.2014 auf my-europe.com