E. VENIZELOS: Good morning and happy new year to everyone, including those celebrating their name-day today. Zappeion, an historic building, a building that adorns Athens and was built specially for the Olympic Games, will be the real epicenter of the fifth Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
I am pleased because Zappeion is in exceptional shape. Technically we are fully prepared for tomorrow’s official inauguration of the Hellenic Presidency.
I will not refer today to the Presidency’s substantial goals. The first six months of 2014 will be extremely critical for Europe, ahead of the European elections in May. They are extremely critical for Greece, because these will really be the six months of change, of the turnaround towards a definitive exit from the Memorandum and the crisis.
But the Presidency is an institutional obligation that we must carry out effectively, thanks in part to the very great institutional memory we have as a country from our four previous Presidencies, which have been associated with watersheds on the European Union’s course.
But today is a day dedicated to Zappeion and to technical preparation. That is why I want to express my heartfelt thanks and congratulations to all those who worked so we could have – in a very short time, and at very little cost – this aesthetically and functionally excellent result.
I want to thank all of those who worked her, under the supervision of the Foreign Ministry, the Office of the Hellenic Presidency. I want to thank all those who helped us so that Zappeion could send cultural messages, thanks to the collections exhibited here.
I want to thank the Parliament, which is participating with a hall it prepared in collaboration with the Museum of the City of Athens, I want to thank the National Gallery, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the Benaki Museum, the Velimezis Collection, which, among other things, has made available for Zappeion an original work by Domenikos Theotokopoulos, the painting “The Passion of Christ,” with three angels, which the guests of our Hellenic Presidency will be able to view.
I would also like to thank the Zongolopoulos Foundation, and the Sotiris Felios collection.
I would like to express my personal thanks to Mrs. Pezanou, who was responsible for decorating the space, and, naturally, I must thank, once again, all of our sponsors who supported us in various ways: From the automobiles of the Hellenic Presidency to technical and operational support, catering of luncheons and dinners that will be held here. The private sector’s contribution is truly decisive.
Public spending for our technical preparations for the Presidency here at Zappeion was very low. We spent just €340,000, and this was possible thanks to the sponsorships, which were impressive and will be announced in a special press release, and we will also be honoring our sponsors at the Foreign Ministry, in the name of the Hellenic State.
It is also important that I underscore that the work was carried out very intensively and efficiently, in just a month and a half, and this is perhaps the first time we are preparing for such a major event so frugally and yet so effectively.
So the omens are all very good for a Presidency that can make its mark while at the same time pointing up that the Greece of the crisis is overcoming that crisis with dignity and showing the face of an institutionally equal, proud and dignified country pursuing what rightfully belongs to it in Europe and in the world. Thank you.
January 7, 2014