In typical firebrand fashion, European MEP Nigel Farage...
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In typical firebrand fashion, European MEP Nigel Farage unleashed a barrage of home truths during a speech in the European Parliament today, including the assertion that Greece is now under full control of a joint European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund dictatorship.
Farage was responding to a speech by Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, during which he called for further European integration to avert the worsening economic crisis.
Barroso asserted that the economic crisis has turned into a "fight for European integration," insisting that the solution to the growing threat to the european single currency is a more, and not less, integrated European Union.
During the speech in Strasbourg, Barroso claimed that he is getting "signals" from EU leaders that they wish to push for "a more integrated Europe" in response to the crisis.
"What we need now is a new, unifying impulse, a new federalist moment -- let's not be afraid to use the word." Barroso said, adding "The right way to stop the negative cycle and strengthen the euro is to deepen integration, mainly in the euro area. This is the way to go."
"This is a fight for the jobs and prosperity of families in all our member states. This is a fight for the economic and political future of Europe. This is a fight for what Europe represents in the world. This is a fight for European integration itself." Barroso stated.
Barroso suggested that more central European governance was needed in order to fully implement rules governing the running of the euro area.
"... if a eurosceptic fringe can determine the position of one member state and one member state can block decisions, the result is that we are not credible." Barroso said.
The EC president attempted to dismiss the idea that such a move would threaten the national sovereignty of member states by adding "This is not about institutional positioning or power. It is about efficiency and delivery."
"Economic and monetary union cannot function properly only on the basis of decisions taken by unanimity." Barroso said, suggesting that the Commission and the EU should have authority over the governments of member states to enforce rules via the EU "Community method".
"A system based purely on intergovernmental cooperation has not worked in the past and will not work in the future. After all, this is why the Community method and the EU institutions were created by the member states in the first place." Barroso argued.
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