Schulz called Tsipras to stop «provocations»

This is not an interview. Martin Schulz held a public debate with EU citizens in a chat on Facebook. Here I just put all questions and answers together, reorganising the chat for topics. Questions are from people from every part of Europe. Among those people there was me. My question is marked below in the post.

Martin Schulz

Mr. Schulz, you have recently expressed your concern over the large number of young unemployed or who are turning to jobs outside EU. Have you thought of some concrete measures to prevent this phenomenon?
«Yes. I think young people must find jobs where they are living. Freedom of movement should be a privilege and not a must. In the investment plan, we should connect investments and the support of enterprises to the employment of young people». 
Youth unemployment is a big problem nowadays and graduates encounter difficulties to shift from academic to working life. Do you see any opportunity to push apprenticeship principles to those programs and allow young people to join the market?

«Youth unemployment is our biggest challenge. The way in which a lot of trainees are treated is shameful. People who do a good job should be paid fairly and an apprenticeship is a time of education and should not be abused for recruitment of cheap workforce».

We see that people from many European countries are turning to extreme left and right because austerity has given way to many problems that captured Europe's future. Are you worried about the rise of the extreme Left in countries such as France and Greece?

«I am worried about those forces which try to destroy the EU. Europe is a rich continent with unfair and unjust distribution of wealth. We have to fight for more justice then we will win the fight for defending Europe's unity».

Lately, people are talking about a "Grexit"...

«I think "Grexit" is not an option. We will do our utmost to keep Greece inside the Euro zone. What we need is to ensure we can get growth an employment going again».

**Apparently Tsipras' government has no confidence by the Euro zone member States as well as the other partners. Did Tsipras and Varoufakis deal with Greek programme in the wrong way?

«What we need is not mutual provocation. We need cooperation. This applies to both sides. There is an enormous will to help Greece and I hope that the Greek government understands this».

What do you think about Juncker's statement about a European army? As federalist, I'm very interested, but in the same time, I think it's not possible if we haven't a real political Europe with a government controlled by the European parliament...

«We need a common foreign and security policy. If we combine our military capacities we can reduce enormously spending for parallel military structures - money which is certainly needed elsewhere. With regards to a government controlled by the European Parliament, I share your opinion».

Do you think EU could ever cooperate with Russia, rather than just listening to US agenda?

«Just before beginning this chat I met the Russian ambassador in my office. Defending democracy and common values does not mean listening to the US agenda. The EU and the Russian Federation are neighbours and therefore I think that we should find a way to cooperate, if Russia wants to cooperate with us».

What are the future actions or propositions will be implemented for the reintegration of djihadists who return to Europe?

«First of all we have to identify the so called foreign fighters to avoid that they can kill people. If they are prepared to leave from their fanatic path of murder we should try to reintegrate them. Equally important is that we fight more against social exclusion and for a more integrative society».

What is your concern on regulation for migration? Nothing has changed so far, Europe should support countries as Italy and Spain to deal with the overload of traffic of human being.

«We need rules for legal immigration instead of an unregulated illegal immigration which is a recruitment programme for criminal human traffickers. I hope the member states are all ready to participate in the necessary cooperation because legal immigration must also mean even distribution among all member states».

What about Turkey's EU membership process today?

The EU-Turkey relationship is very difficult in this moment, and at the same time we need each other. the membership process will last. I will go to Turkey after Easter to discuss with our Turkish partners.

What do you think about that Viktor Orban, prime minister of Hungary, intends to build illiberal democracy in Hungary?

«I will meet Victor Orban soon and I will ask him what illiberal democracy means. My definition of democracy is mutual respect, self determination and equal chances and I have never heard what illiberal democracy means. If it is a "guided democracy" then I am against».

What are the consequences that the FN party must face if it is found guilty of misusing EU funds? Will they just have to pay the money back or will there be graver consequences?

«I asked the relevant European and national authorities to verify the use of the payments of Front National assistants. If there is an abuse they will surely need to reimburse. If national laws are broken, it is up to national justice to follow up the cases in the frame of that criminal code».

What do you think of the idea of putting a tax on financial market's transactions?

«I have been fighting for a long time for a financial transaction tax and I admit that from time to time I am really disappointed. To mobilise hundreds of millions to pay for risky financial transactions, we have done this very quickly. On the other hand to put a small tax on these financial transactions member states are unable to agree for years and years. But I will continue to fight».

Following the recent Swiss Leaks that occurred, how will the EU work on closing any remaining loopholes when it comes to tax evasion/fraud?

«Tax fraud and tax evasion are two of our biggest problems. But tax policy is in the hands of the national governments and not in the hand of the EU institutions. As long as some of the member states are blocking our common actions, we will not achieve, we in the EU Parliament will continue to maximise the pressure on member states to fight more against tax evasion and fraud, one of the biggest problems in Greece for example».