Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker sent a strong message of support to Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Greece through his address to the 16th Congress of New Democracy, characterizing the Prime Minister as an “outstanding leader” who brought the country back “to the heart of the European process.” Mr. Juncker highlighted Greece’s economic recovery trajectory, fiscal stability, and enhanced international image, emphasizing that Greece now plays a central role both in the European Union and the European People’s Party.
Jean-Claude Juncker on Kyriakos Mitsotakis: You are an outstanding prime minister because you placed Greece back at the heart of the European process
Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, in his address to the 16th New Democracy Congress, referred to the ND party which he said he knows very well. “It was founded by Karamanlis, an outstanding leader who brought the European Union to Greece and Greece to the European Union. Therefore, we remain grateful for the work of this great man,” he noted.
“Greece, the birthplace of European democracy, allows us to say that Greece is the place where the European way of life began,” he emphasized.
“I had many contacts with Greece over the past three, if not four decades. I will always remember the difficult period Greece went through in the late ’90s and early in my presidency. I had to deal with Greece when I was president of the Eurogroup and when I was president of the European Commission. I always fought to keep Greece within the eurozone. Sometimes I was alone. Others did not participate in this effort. However, I promised the Greek people, the various Greek governments, and Greece as a country to do my duty. My duty was to keep Greece within the monetary union, because Greece’s place is at the core, at the heart of the European Union,” he stated.
“Greece has done well since then. It has done well in terms of fiscal recovery, it has done well in terms of economic recovery, it has done well in terms of its attractiveness for foreign investment, it has done well in terms of exports,” he added.
Referring to the Prime Minister, Mr. Juncker noted: “Kyriakos, you are an outstanding leader. I say this not because we are friends – within party families everyone is friends, except when you really need them – but because you are my personal friend. You are an outstanding prime minister because you placed Greece back at the heart of the European process. You enjoy widespread respect in Greece, in the European Union and beyond. You are a man who fulfills his duties.”
“I always trusted you and you were always worthy of that trust. Right now you are one of the leading member states of the European Union. You play a central role in Europe, just as you play a central role in the European People’s Party, which is our common political family. Not all members of this family supported Greece on the vital issue the country faced, but nevertheless this was done,” he added.
Concluding his address, the former European Commission President stated: “I will always love Greece. It has no logic, but it can be explained, because Greece is Greece and Greece will always be very close to my heart. The Greeks, Greece, and you, Kyriakos. I wish you the best therefore. Continue to serve Greece and continue to serve the European Union. ‘Epitychía,’ for those who don’t speak fluent Greek, this means ‘good success.’ Good success, Greece. I love Greece and I love the Greek Prime Minister.”
