The Hellenic League for Human Rights expresses its concern for the political polarisation that undermines the referendum procedure, which is taking place under haste and pressure. More importantly, the League expresses its serious concern as far as the guarantees for the rights are concerned on the day of the referendum, whatever the result may be. We underline in reference to the statement of the OHCHR, our strong belief, that there is more at stake than our financial commitments for the debt repayment. It is dissapointing that the IMF and the EU ,in accordance with the UN experts, have failed to guarantee the international guarantees for the consolidation of the social and economic rights and that the greek governments with the adopted measures have led to the shrinking of these guarantees (weathering of social and medical structures, social security rights, collective agreements) which have resulted in the devaluation of citizenship.
We would like to remind that the League in a report concluded in 2014 in collaboration with FIDH had pointed out that the austerity measures ,adopted for tackling the economic crisis ,had a negative drawback on human rights, such as the right to work and the right to health and have shrinked the founding liberties in Greece, endangering the democratic and law state standards in different sectors ,
not only on the level of social and economic rights ,but also on individual and political (rights). The League has also highlighted the dangers that exist in certain policies, when during their shaping,the negative impacts that were expected to have on human rights were ignored, and (the League) has emphasized the responsibility that the national and international institutions hold.
Today for one more time we underline that a democratic society must regulate its internal economic affairs in a way that facilitates the full enjoyment of human rights. It is exactly what the Lisbon Treaty guarantees (articles 1,2), meaning the protection of human rights, the protection against social exclusion and more importantly the security of economic and financial solidarity between EU Member States.
The Debt, no matter how it is treated after the referendum, should not constitute the ground on which the failure of the rule of law and human rights will be built . Because in the end there is more at stake than money !