There is this concept of politics as a dirty game.

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

Greece's history in the drachma was an up-and-down history, a roller coaster.

The real problem in Greece is not cutting taxes, it's making sure that we don't have tax evasion.

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

We have made major reforms in Greece. When I took over after a landslide victory we had a mandate for change and I knew my major focus would be re-organizing the state.

I never thought about becoming a politician. But during the military dictatorship, my grandfather was put in prison six times and my father twice. If my family and my country didn't have this history, I might be a professor somewhere today.