"Do not blame us, we are aiding Greece's future"

"Do not blame us, we are aiding Greece's future"

The President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy, expressed his support for the Greek government’s efforts to continue reforms and changes in order to overcome the economic crisis plaguing the country...

"Do not blame us, we are aiding Greece's future"
The President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy, expressed his support for the Greek government’s efforts to continue reforms and changes in order to overcome the economic crisis plaguing the country, during a meeting at the Maximou Mansion with Prime Minister George Papandreou.

“The message I am sending is that we support the work done and the work that will be done in the future; reforms are necessary in order for Greece to become competitive in the future and acquire better growth and employment opportunities. The adjustment program requires great sacrifices and we must all shoulder the allocation of responsibilities, something which is of great significance”, said Mr. Rompuy and stressed the need “to combat fraud, bureaucracy and corruption and strengthen social cohesion”.

The head of the European Council added that changes are inevitable and should have been made later “but Europe is not to blame for this”, as he characteristically underlined. As for the 110 billion euro loan repayment period extension as well as the reduction of interest rates, he stated that what the EU leaders decided on the 11th and 25th of March is a “sign of trust towards Greece”.

On his part, Prime Minister George Papandreou said that “the citizens’ efforts for the implementation of reforms is difficult, but starting to bear fruit”, and stressed that it would help in development. “The major changes implemented guarantee conditions of economic growth”, said Mr. Papandreou.

The Greek Prime Minister outlined in detail the course of the implementation of decisions made by European leaders, in combination with Portugal’s request for entry into the support mechanism, and sent the message that “there is no room for complacency, and we must all strive to make Europe stronger so that no such phenomena appear in the future”.
Κλείσιμο

The two men also discussed the timeline of the EU’s moves until the next European Council on the 24th of June, as well as ways to increase the capital of the provisional mechanism (EFSF) by 2013 and the permanent mechanism (ESM), after 2013.

George Papandreou further referred to the crisis in the Arab and Middle-Eastern countries, and especially Libya, reiterating that Greece’s firm position is to achieve a diplomatic solution and stressing its support for political initiatives within the UN.

On the occasion of Japan’s nuclear accident, the Greek Prime Minister made it clear that “Greece is opposed to the use of nuclear energy” and asked for the imposition of strict measures on countries planning or already operating nuclear facilities in the region.  
Ακολουθήστε το protothema.gr στο Google News και μάθετε πρώτοι όλες τις ειδήσεις

Δείτε όλες τις τελευταίες Ειδήσεις από την Ελλάδα και τον Κόσμο, τη στιγμή που συμβαίνουν, στο Protothema.gr

ΡΟΗ ΕΙΔΗΣΕΩΝ

Ειδήσεις Δημοφιλή Σχολιασμένα
δειτε ολες τις ειδησεις

Best of Network

Δείτε Επίσης