On the climate abroad:
“When the current government took on the responsibility of governing the country, we inherited a situation in which the country’s credibility was really non-existent. Very serious efforts were made, and through the sacrifices of the Greek people we managed to regain our credibility. Things are moving ahead, there are difficulties.”
On national understanding:
“We see the public stances taken by the parties, etc.: that there is room for real convergence and real cooperation, and the Prime Minister will exhaust this potential. If someone thinks that cooperation/understanding means “give me a blank check, everyone, and I’ll go on with what I’m saying,” then of course there will be no understanding, and that is not what the Prime Minister and the government are after. What we are saying is, let’s sit down calmly, responsibly, with composure, and look at your proposals: what from among your proposals can we incorporate into the overall package? But always guided by this: that we have a goal, a clear goal of getting out of this deficit. So, all the measures that we include in the overall package have to serve this objective. And there is room there – there are thoughts.”
On “renegotiation” of the memorandum:
“Renegotiation of the Memorandum may sound like ‘national pride’, but we have to look at the reality of the situation. The Memorandum – the agreement, if you will, between Greece and our Troika partners – is something dynamic, and that’s why we can’t talk about renegotiation. This programme is being adapted constantly to the given conditions. We are doing well, we will also be able to adapt it in a more positive direction. There are difficulties. We will have to see how we supplement it. So, the term renegotiation sounds good, but that’s not how things are.
On the “Syntagma movement”:
“As long as its an authentic movement – particularly of the country’s youth – that voices this genuine will to change, to move towards something better, even, of course, if it also expresses the disappointment in the situation we are in with the economic measures. But if this movement can give us the momentum and the support to go in the right direction, it would be very important for the country.”
On a cabinet reshuffle:
“We are in a special situation, a difficult situation, that calls for all of us to focus our attention exclusively on our jobs. The only thing that any discussion of a cabinet reshuffle achieves is disorientation from what we are doing. I see and respect that this issue is particularly alluring to the news media, especially, but, believe me, it doesn’t help the effort and there is no issue of a reshuffle.”
May 29, 2011