Democratic, united Europe draws on ancient Greek ideals, PM says at Ecofin dinner

Focusing on the monuments of ancient Athens around him, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras drew a parallel between antiquity and a modern, democratic Europe with shared ideals, during his address at the Ecofin dinner held at the Museum of the Acropolis on Tuesday night.

Speaking about the historic buildings of democracy - and pointing to the Parthenon through the museum windows - Samaras spoke about the needs of modern, European democracy, including sustainable economic growth, social cohesion based on justice and opportunities for all, and citizens "always trying to surpass poverty, ignorance and isolation (and) citizens reaching to their limits and going beyond their limits."

The challenges of the modern world are reflected in the EU's history, he said, from the emergence from war to becoming a union. "We moved cautiously from the 'customs union' to the 'common market', to the 'single market', to the 'monetary union," Samaras said.

"We are moving now, cautiously, but steadily, to the political Integration, to the fiscal union, to the banking union," he stressed, "United Europe is not a distant dream any more. It has built its own legacy and it has generated it own dynamics."

The premier said that "Europe is now more united than ever, more stable than ever" and a "rising world power" that will have its interests respected and its voice heard.

"Today, we are establishing much more than a common framework for our political union," Samaras said. "We are gradually building a common sense of belonging, a common identity. We are still different as individual nations. And we will probably remain so for ever… Different? yes! But divided? Never again! However, continuously more integrated vis a vis the rest of the world," he added.

This Europe was based on the shared principles of freedom, democracy, extroversion, human dignity, opportunities for all, solidarity to all, responsibility by all, and a relentless fight against tyranny, the premier added, pointing to Greece's importance for democracy and its perseverance despite predictions of failure and leaving the EU.

Revisiting the achievements of the economy, the prime minister said Greece achieved the largest fiscal adjustment ever, at the shortest period of time, yet suffered the biggest GDP loss in peace time, ever, and is still suffering while the economy is turning around. "Our democracy has withstood all the pressures. We have delivered and we are moving ahead," he pointed out.

"Success will only go to countries which encourage individual initiative and enterprise; not to the ones which attempt to diminish them. And Greece has, by now, become one of those countries," Samaras said, expressing appreciation for fellow EU member states' help to Greece, which has become "more independent from the need to constantly borrow." Greece, he added, is standing on its own feet and in much better shape to compete world-wide, getting more effective in securing its borders and developing its own energy resources.

The monuments of democracy around the Acropolis could serve as a beacon of Europe's common feature, he said, not just remain monuments of a glorious past. "Fifty years ago the United Europe was an idealistic dream... Four years ago my country was falling apart, and our monetary Union was also on the verge of collapse...Now a better and stronger Greece is emerging out of the crisis; and our Union is also getting better and stronger than ever," Samaras said, speaking of the importance of pragmatism.

"Look at the Acropolis! From our common past we can see our common future," he concluded, "And it works!"