Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
We in Europe have great capacities.
I am proud of being a Greek of the diaspora.
I never thought of politics as a profession.
There is this concept of politics as a dirty game.
Everyone needs to carry out his own personal revolution.
If we had a consensus we wouldn't have to go to a referendum.
In ancient Greece, politics and the market were not decoupled.
I have a deep sense of responsibility to my country and Greek people.
Greece's history in the drachma was an up-and-down history, a roller coaster.
It is important that the Greek people make decisions on important developments.
You can theorise about the options you have but in reality they are very specific.
Unfortunately, corruption is widespread in government agencies and public enterprises.
If you put all the European countries together, we are the biggest economy in the world.
This is global governance in the making. But we must agree, and agree to a binding commitment.
I will always be upfront with the Greek people, so we can solve the country's problems together.
The real problem in Greece is not cutting taxes, it's making sure that we don't have tax evasion.
Previous governments, particularly the one before I took over, mismanaged the economy quite badly.
When I was growing up in the United States and Sweden, I never thought about becoming a politician.
Every leader wants to put his or her imprint on the work that they do, and grow up in specific eras.
There are certain moments in the history of a nation when the choices made define the decades to come.
This idea that you're a successful tough guy if you evade taxes and deceive the state has got to change.
I have always said I will be in politics to serve as best as I can and it will take me wherever it will take me.
My hope is that we will turn Greece into maybe the most transparent country in the world with everything on the web.
We are on a difficult course, on a new Odyssey for Greece, but we know the road to Ithaca and have charted the waters.
I would like to see Greece as a case study, an opportunity for Europe to strengthen its coordination of fiscal policy.
The structures in Europe in a globalising economy need to be modernised, need to be more integrated, need to be stronger.
Despite the deep reforms we are making, traders and speculators have forced interest rates on Greek bonds to record highs.
We had about 60 regions in Greece and now there are only 13. It'd be like cutting down 50 states to 13 and making it more efficient.
Europe has a lot of strength. We need to pool that strength, and I am very much in favour of that - more of a deeper political union.
We have a rise of extremism because we need to give a sense that we are targeting some of the deeper problems in Greece, the injustices.
We stand united, facing the big responsibility to change our country into a nation of justice, solidarity, humanity and green development.
The more there is a European solution to a theoretical, but possible, problem in the markets, the less we will have to talk about an I.M.F. solution.
We're very proud to be part of the eurozone. But this comes with obligations and it is crucial we show the world we can live up to those obligations.
How can a parliamentarian or a leader in a country say, on the one hand, that we're going to support Greece but at the same time say that Greeks are lazy?
The Greek people do not want to exit the euro. And I believe the Greek people already have shown that they have made major sacrifices to stay in the euro zone.
The Greek people do not want to exit the euro, and I believe the Greek people already have shown that they have made major sacrifices to stay within the Eurozone.
Politics also means educating people. It's important to speak openly with our fellow Greeks, to tell them what our problems are and that we have to change something.
Today I want to send a message of optismism to all Greeks. Our road, our path, will be more stabilised. Our country will be in a better situation. We will be stronger.
We have made major reforms in Greece. When I took over after a landslide victory we had a mandate for change and I knew my major focus would be re-organizing the state.
Europe is a strong market for the U.S. If it has problems, if there's a lack of consumer confidence, if there's a deeper recession, this will deeply affect jobs in the U.S.
Greece has great strengths, but much of this potential has been wasted. That's because of a wider political system, but also because of a lack of an institutional framework.
Countries are not like financial markets. Social change cannot be executed as swiftly as credit-default swaps. You cannot sell short on social commitments and practical responsibilities.
Many people have been pontificating, and patronizing, and moralizing, and scapegoating, saying you Greeks, you are the problem. I would say we Greeks have a problem. We are not the problem.
An elected government making huge changes with the consent of its people, is being undermined by concentrated powers in unregulated markets-powers which go beyond those of any individual government.
We are a country with great potential. We have the political will to make deep changes in a just and equitable way, to put our country back on a development path, to meet the challenges of a new world.
Markets are saying pretty much what I'm saying too: that Greece is doing what it can, but that Greece is not going to be able to carry the weight of all of Europe and the other problems that Europe has.
People would say you look weak if you're not cursing the opposition and driving around in a big black car while always wearing a tie. Above all, to be 'strong' you're always supposed to be giving orders.
Markets themselves are looking for stability, and I think we have underestimated the capacity of Europe... to actually create a more stable framework for the whole issue of debt management, bonds, and so on.
Very often, people will come out and say, 'Greeks aren't doing things, Greeks aren't making changes, there's no reform,' That is hogwash. We have made a huge effort. The Greek people have made a huge effort.
I would say we are a friend in need and I am sure that the Greek people would very much welcome the choice of the British people to come and enjoy Greece, first of all, but also that would be a sign of support.