The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 10-02-20

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Greek PM: "Greece Is not Looking for Bailouts"

Greece is not looking for bailouts. Instead, t is looking for political support to implement its stability plan and meet its goals, stressed Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou in London. Addressing his counterparts of Britain, Spain and Norway, he called for a fight against international profiteering.

Papandreou reiterated that Greece's problem is its own responsibility and blamed the previous government for remaining inactive and nourishing corruption. He further added that Greece wants to borrow on equal terms to its fellow euro-area members. He added that "higher interest rates for us mean higher interest rates for [the rest of] Europe."

"We are not looking for bailouts, we are not looking for money from other countries. We have a progressive programme for change and we need support for this programme to make it effectively implemented."

George Papandreou

He then claimed that being a progressive leader he takes the current crisis as an opportunity for necessary deep reforms.

"It is a fallacy to say the Greeks are reckless because it would just mean the problem is a problem of DNA," he argued.

Instead, Mr Papandreou said Greece's high levels of debt were simply a consequence of the previous conservative government's policies, which focused too much on "short-term profit".

He called the previous administration, which was replaced by Mr Papandreou's Panhellenic Socialist government in October last year, "reckless and corrupt".

But he said the Greek people had voted against corruption and for "a programme of change" when they voted his party in.

Source: BBC News item: 33542

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article