The Greek people not only relate to the ancient traditions, they have fought, they have shed blood, until recently, to defend the values of democracy and freedom.

Real freedom for people can only exist whenever there is security and independence.

I will continue to decisively promote reforms that will promote growth, and at the same time, I will continue to negotiate hard in order to avoid any reforms that would undermine growth.

Greece is a pillar of peace and security in a region where stabilization is on the growth.

Greece and the Greek people have recently had to deal with the harshest consequences of the global and European economic crisis. As an economy and as a society, we have had to experience a program of disastrous austerity which made the problems more acute instead of resolving them.

Barack Obama is a president who, when he had to deal with the 2008 economic crisis, has led the American economy on a completely different path than the one that Europe has chosen eight years later.

It is our duty to make a leap into the future, and I believe that we will make it.