The Socialists are off to Greece!

Hannes Swoboda, the leader of the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) in the European Parliament, announced on Tuesday (14 February) that the group would be sending its own expert “alternative troika” to Greece to assess what measures can be taken to spur job growth.

Swoboda said three senior MEPs with previous ministerial experience had been shortlisted: Robert Goebbels, a Luxembourgeois MEP and former minister for economic affairs, Elisa Ferreira, a Portuguese MEP and former minister for planning and the environment, and Ivailo Kalfin, a Bulgarian MEP and former deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs.

He said the group was “unhappy” with the work carried out by the official troika to Greece, particularly the harsh austerity measures that Swoboda said would do nothing to meet the need for jobs. If only job creation in Greece was as easy as creating jobs for S&D MEPs.

The difference between the alternative troika and the real troika – made up of the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank – is that the real troika is ready to lend Greece money, subject to conditions. Perhaps the S&D group has some spare cash to offer?