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.

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

The insistence of European leaders to austerity policies keeps the European economy strapped in stagnation.

The experience of previous years leads to one conclusion: there is one morality in politics and another for economy. In the years since 1989, the morality of the economy has fully prevailed over the ethics of politics and democracy.

I have always taken measures to fight corruption, to attract investment, to create a better context for investment in Greece.

We will do whatever we could do to keep Greece inside the euro and inside Europe.

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.