The Greek Prime Minister emphasizes that “our growth is much faster than the Eurozone average”.
Regarding the economy, the course of the country and the Investment Conference in London, the prime minister says that “there was no one there anymore who characterized Greece as a problematic case”.
Mr. Mitsotakis emphasizes that “our growth is much faster than the Eurozone average”.
And he adds: “And next year it will be even faster, this is a constant trend. Foreign direct investment climbs from one record after another. Greece has overcome the difficulties”.
Mr. Mitsotakis notes: “I want citizens to look back after eight years and say: ‘Unbelievable, this is really a different country'”.
The prime minister states about his political identity and experiences: “I am a liberal politician, but in the sense of the classic Liberalism of the 19th century.”
And he underlines: “I see myself as a student of Democracy.” At the same time, he states: “I believe that we still have a lot to learn from the classical Athenian democracy in terms of citizen participation and engagement.”
And he adds: “I was born in Juda, my family was under house arrest. Finally we were allowed to travel to Paris, to my father who had escaped from Greece in a small boat in the Aegean, until he reached the Turkish coast in terrible weather.’
Kyriakos Mitsotakis also refers to his father’s accounts from the occupation and his post-war relationship with German politicians:
“He has told me very impressive stories from that time, how as a 25-year-old he had been imprisoned and every morning he had to put on his suit and wait, who would be taken that day and executed.”
And he continues: “He was aware that what happened was traumatic, but also that countries continue to evolve. After all, the European project as a whole was a project of Peace and Reconciliation”.
Referring to the German reparations he states the following: “Very special case and the case has not been settled to date. From our side, the matter is still on the table and we are ready to discuss it in good will.”
For the free press, the Androulakis case and the new law on the removal of privacy, the prime minister emphasizes: “Yes, it bothers me a lot, because it does not apply” (the comparison that some attempt with B. Orban). And he adds: “I am willing to admit mistakes.”
The prime minister also notes: “I hope that our new law will be a model for other European countries.”
And he underlines: “A Secret Service is not an NGO. We live in a very difficult neighborhood and the Secret Service did a good job of providing me with the information necessary to protect our national interests.”
He also says that “from a technical point of view it is legal” to connect to the phone of N. Androulakis and adds: “There was an institutional failure, that is why with a new law we are introducing additional filters in relation to political figures. But lack of press freedom? Go to any kiosk in Greece, the media landscape in Greece is open and characterized by diversity.”
And he points out: “In Greece, everyone can write whatever they want. There are publications that would not meet the standards of defamation laws in European countries.”
Asked if he knew about the attachments and software, he answers “Absolutely nothing”, while regarding political responsibility he states that “this will be decided in the next elections”.
He also says about the national elections in 2023: “In the elections the citizens will weigh all the good things the government has done against the mistakes. If I see a mistake, it’s my job to speak up about it and do what I can to fix it. And that’s what I’m doing.”
Referring to the position of Greece in the ranking of “Reporters Without Borders”, the Prime Minister states: “Before us there are 40 dictatorships. We are further below Chad. This is absurd.”
He also says that the government will very soon change the law on the spread of fake news: “I take care of this personally. We introduced it because of the coronavirus, as we were faced with a flood of fake news about vaccinations. But in hindsight, the law was wrong, as well as ineffective.”
For Turkey and migratory Mr. Mitsotakis says that “such threats should be taken “very seriously”.
And he emphasizes: “I have made it absolutely clear that I will always have my door open to dialogue. It was Erdogan who said he doesn’t want to meet me.”
And he underlines: “If Turkey intends to put everything on the table and negotiate things that were resolved a hundred years ago, then I’m sorry, but I have no interest.”
Regarding immigration, Mr. Mitsotakis underlines: “I say to anyone who accuses us of pushbacks: Look at those who do pushforwards.”
He adds: “When a boat leaves Turkish shores, the Security Forces there know about it. They have an obligation to stop it.”
The prime minister also states that “we need a big wall and in it a big door”.
And he notes: “We must protect our borders with determination. We cannot let traffickers dictate our Immigration Policy. At the same time we need coordinated ways of Immigration, as we lack workers in agriculture, in the construction sector. We need people, but we want them in the country legally.”
RES-EMP
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I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have been an author at News Bulletin 247 for the past 2 years. I mostly cover politics news. I am a highly experienced and respected journalist. I have won numerous awards for my work.
