How can a parliamentarian or a leader in a country say, on the one hand, that we're going to support Greece but at the same time say that Greeks are lazy?

The structures in Europe in a globalising economy need to be modernised, need to be more integrated, need to be stronger.

Unfortunately, corruption is widespread in government agencies and public enterprises.

Despite the deep reforms we are making, traders and speculators have forced interest rates on Greek bonds to record highs.

There are certain moments in the history of a nation when the choices made define the decades to come.

Many people have been pontificating, and patronizing, and moralizing, and scapegoating, saying you Greeks, you are the problem. I would say we Greeks have a problem. We are not the problem.

Every leader wants to put his or her imprint on the work that they do, and grow up in specific eras.