MEPs still critical of Eurogroup President over Cyprus deal, Troika urges Cyprus unification and a Spanish media project wins the Charlemagne Youth Prize.

Eurogroup chief under pressure / Saving Cyprus / Youth vision

Every time the President of the Eurogroup,  Jeroen Dijsselbloem,

he faces a barrage of criticism,  especially over the Cyprus bailout.

MEPs remain unhappy that he backed  the original – now abandoned – proposal

to take money  from ordinary deposit holders.

How can you take a decision  as crazy as the first decision

to basically put a tax  on all banking deposits

and in this way destroy the credibility of  the European Deposit Guarantee Scheme?

There the criticism was very right.  It was wrong.

He took responsibility for that and happily  we are now taking a more reliable line.

The Cyprus bailout and continuing  banking problems also dominated debate

when the Troika – the ECB, IMF  and Commission – came to call.

The division of Cyprus remains  a stumbling block to progress.

There's hope the crisis  may spur a resolution.

Today, it is worth recalling  that the reunification of the island

would give a major boost to the economic  and social development of Cyprus.

A Spanish youth media project  has won top place

the President of the EP stressed  the problems of youth unemployment.

We in politics have to see to it  that their dreams become reality.

Because if those dreams  end in disappointment -

and we are on the track  to that disappointment -

sheds light, in these difficult times,  on young people's vision of Europe in 2020.

People are losing faith  in the European project.

We wanted to give a very fresh, young  and positive message to young people

and say 'look, we're going to convey  your message and it will be heard.'