Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that Greece "will defend its sovereign rights any way it deems appropriate," during an official dinner organised by the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce.
“I believe that the visit to the U.S as a whole reaffirmed the fact that for the U.S, Greece is a firm and reliable ally in an extremely troubled region. I was absolutely clear with President Trump himself on the red lines of the Greek government. The country will defend its sovereign rights in whatever way it deems appropriate. At the same time, we explained that it is not us who are seeking tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and will seek to resolve our differences with Turkey in a peaceful manner and that is why we are keeping the channel of dialogue open, seeking to reduce that tension. I am pleased that the US has clearly and unambiguously expressed its support for the security and prosperity of the country and supports initiatives that will help resolve the issues in the Eastern Mediterranean peacefully," the PM said.
During the discussion with Greek-American Chamber of Commerce President Nikos Bakatsello, Mitsotakis also emphasised that both the U.S Congress and the Senate had reached a cross-party understanding on the strategic role of Greece in the region, which was reflected in the passing of the EastMed Act that defined the Eastern Mediterranean region as an area of strategic interest to the U.S and determined who America’s strong and trusted allies were and how they should be supported.
The Greek PM also sent a message to investors for them to be active in the country, noting that "Greece is a country that has comparative advantages. We have political stability, elections will be held in 2023, and we will use every day to produce meaningful work. We have a self-governing government with a clear mandate, we are a country coming out of a decade-long crisis. There are many areas where we have comparative advantages."
Referring to the issue of security, Mitsotakis said that the law will apply everywhere and to everyone. "Significant steps have been taken and security concerns all Greeks. Mostly those living in the most deprived neighborhoods of the cities. They demand from the state in return for the taxes they pay, to feel safe for themselves, their families and their property. The law will apply everywhere and to everyone. And we've got the police so they can do it...But respect for the laws is also required...It is not the controls that make the difference, but the citizen who will tell the smoker that he cannot smoke in a shop."
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