Alexis TSIPRAS, Greek Prime Minister, is the ninth EU leader to debate the future of Europe with MEPs during the plenary session of the European Parliament (10-13/09/2018) in Strasbourg. Answers of Alexis TSIPRAS, Greek Prime Minister, to MEPs

EU - Greece (T)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

future of the European Union (T)

TSÍPRAS, Aléxis (EL)

Future of Europe: extracts from the answers of Alexis TSIPRAS, Greek Prime Minister, to MEPs

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/19659439/I159666Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Al&#233;xis TS&#205;PRAS, Greek Prime Minister, We should study the Greek case, Europe should study this case because Greece was an experiment that was detrimental to our European common values. The crisis did not started just a few days ago, it started in 2010 with the adjustment programme, more than 8 years back. It is only today that we can face the future with more optimistic.

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Al&#233;xis TS&#205;PRAS, Greek Prime Minister, If I am happy about one thing is about that we have manage to deepen our structural reforms, to get to fiscal consolidation, to get to primary surplus. No other government have managed that despite the harsh attempts while we, at the same time, have manage to protect the most vulnerable.

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Al&#233;xis TS&#205;PRAS, Greek Prime Minister, Those who claim that had been &euro;100 billion extra cost they say that in theory there would have been a growth perspective in 2015 succeeding 2017, up to 20% of GDP, so that is what we have lost. The fact that our economy lost 20% of our GDP the first four years, would been raised if there is has not been a change of government.

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Al&#233;xis TS&#205;PRAS, Greek Prime Minister, Another inaccuracy, some people say that in the last years we have lost 40 billion in the recapitalisation of banks, 45 billion was the total recapitalisation of the three programmes, our recapitalisation was only six out of the 24 billion that was force out of the recapitalisation. All of this has to be said.

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Al&#233;xis TS&#205;PRAS, Greek Prime Minister, If you turn to nationalism and chauvinistic policies in order to stop the increase of influence of far right populist forces, the result is that you will give them even more ground, they could reach percentages that could be a threat to all of us, we have to put an end to that.

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Al&#233;xis TS&#205;PRAS, Greek Prime Minister, You said that we had brought a refugee wave to our country, I think is the wars that brought them to our country. Do you believe that any country can survive without help, without solidarity, that cooperation is whatever suits us? And whatever the issue is that it does not concern you, you do not need solidarity. There is no future of Europe like that.