E. VENIZELOS: European Ombudsman Nikiforos Diamantouros is completing an exceptionally successful term that points up the value of this European institution.
We are proud of Mr. Diamantouros, because he honoured us as a country, showing that Greece is a country that can contribute to important and critical European institutions.
As he is leaving his post soon, he gave me the latest report of the European Ombudsman, which is a “bundle” of actions that need to be carried out on the institutional level in the European Union.
I remind you that Mr. Diamantouros started out from Greek Ombudsman and laid the foundations for a very important institution: one of the five Independent Authorities provided for directly by the Constitution. And the existence of these Independent Authorities is one of the most important attainments of our constitutional order, and we must defend these precious institutions because they are they are the guarantors of law and order, democracy, and rule of law.
N. DIAMANTOURAS: Mr. Minister, I thank you very much for your warm words regarding my person, but in particular regarding the institution that I served in Greece – an institution that I am profoundly satisfied to be identified with, because it continues to be greatly appreciated by the Greek people – and the European institution that I served for 10 years and that I hope I left better and bigger than it was when I took it on.
I am honoured by your words, and I hope that, upon my return to Greece, having completed a 10-and-a-half year term, I will be able once again to contribute as a plain citizen to my country and public life. Thank you very much.
July 23, 2013