The government is determined to continue the process of fiscal consolidation and structural reform in order to secure sound public finances and improve the country's international competitiveness.

The participation of our country in the eurozone is a guarantee for the country's monetary stability. It is a driver of financial prosperity.

More cuts were needed to avoid exiting the eurozone.

I am personally convinced - and I think the Greek people share this belief in a fundamental way - that we can achieve fiscal consolidation more effectively and we can restore competitiveness in a more fundamental and permanent way within the euro area than outside.

In the 20 years before Greece end up with the Euro, efforts to improve competitiveness through exchange rate and adjustments resulted only in temporary gains of competitiveness.

The new co-operation government will do the best it can to address the country's problems, and I believe that with the co-operation of all - and the new government stresses this - and the unity of all, we will achieve that.

And judging what is appropriate or not appropriate for a country, I think it is important in particular in judging what is the appropriate economic policy framework, one should take into account the overall political environment and the institutional framework within which economic policy operates.