Quotes By Georgios A. Papandreou

If Greece had gone through a very normal political life, I may have not been in politics. But just the fact that I lived through huge upheavals and very difficult struggles and polarisation and the barbarism of dictatorships - that made me feel that we had to change this country.

When I was growing up in the United States and Sweden, I never thought about becoming a politician.

Already people are saying we do need a change.

I am proud of being a Greek of the diaspora.

People would say you look weak if you're not cursing the opposition and driving around in a big black car while always wearing a tie. Above all, to be 'strong' you're always supposed to be giving orders.

I never thought about becoming a politician. But during the military dictatorship, my grandfather was put in prison six times and my father twice. If my family and my country didn't have this history, I might be a professor somewhere today.

We're very proud to be part of the eurozone. But this comes with obligations and it is crucial we show the world we can live up to those obligations.

As long as I feel I am doing what I think is right and just for my country, for the Greek people, that is enough for me.

There is this concept of politics as a dirty game.

I will always be upfront with the Greek people, so we can solve the country's problems together.

You can theorise about the options you have but in reality they are very specific.

There are certain moments in the history of a nation when the choices made define the decades to come.

Europe has a lot of strength. We need to pool that strength, and I am very much in favour of that - more of a deeper political union.

If we had a consensus we wouldn't have to go to a referendum.

It is important that the Greek people make decisions on important developments.

I never thought of politics as a profession.

We are on a difficult course, on a new Odyssey for Greece, but we know the road to Ithaca and have charted the waters.

Today I want to send a message of optismism to all Greeks. Our road, our path, will be more stabilised. Our country will be in a better situation. We will be stronger.

Unfortunately, corruption is widespread in government agencies and public enterprises. Our political system promotes nepotism and wasting money. This has undermined our legal system and confidence in the functioning of the state. One of the consequences is that many citizens don't pay their taxes.

We stand united, facing the big responsibility to change our country into a nation of justice, solidarity, humanity and green development.

Everyone needs to carry out his own personal revolution.

We are a country with great potential. We have the political will to make deep changes in a just and equitable way, to put our country back on a development path, to meet the challenges of a new world.

Politics also means educating people. It's important to speak openly with our fellow Greeks, to tell them what our problems are and that we have to change something.

Greece has given Europe the opportunity to fix a defect in the euro zone, that is the fact that we did not have a fiscal union. Now steps have been taken to begin that process. And there is more solidarity from nation to nation, and that is a good thing. That has been Greece's gift to Europe.

This idea that you're a successful tough guy if you evade taxes and deceive the state has got to change.