The answer to the crisis is not less Europe, the answer is more Europe, more efficient Europe, the Greek Minister of Development and Competitiveness Costis Chadjidakis has said.
Chadjidakis was addressing a conference titled “South on Growth” organized on Monday in Athens by the European Parliament’s offices in Greece, Cyprus, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
The Greek Minister referred to the distinction between countries in Europe saying that few decades ago Europe was divided in East and West. Today, he said, Europe cannot be divided between South and North. “Our Union can only get deeper” he said and added that no European country, even the biggest, could face the challenges on its own.
We must prove that we can overcome the national stereotypes, dogmatism and the lack of political will, Chadjidakis said. Therefore, he added, all should realize that the success of the European North will be the success of the EU.
Referring to Greece, Chadjidakis said that the progress it has achieved ought to be recognized and noted that what the country needs now is trust and solidarity by its European partners. During the last years Greece has accelerated its pace, he said. What is now needed is our partner’s solidarity to capitalize the progress and further improve psychology, he added. He described good psychology as of vital importance element for the existence of liquidity.
Additionally, he said that what applies for Greece more or less applies for the European South in general. The Greek Minister stressed that the European North and the European South should act together and underlined the importance of unity describing it as the context in which new initiatives are to be promoted. Unity will also be the key word of the Greek EU Presidency, he said.
He furthermore expressed the opinion that a common fiscal policy should be shaped and supervised by a central mechanism combined with a real banking union and a reinforced European Central Bank.
Our duty is to create a new era of progress and prosperity for Europe he said, and stressed that we are condemned to succeed and we will succeed.
