Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, addressing an event at the foreign ministry on Wednesday for the presentation of the Strategic Plan for Greeks Abroad, referred to the results of the US elections.
"Circumstances have led us to being here, a few hours after the elections in the USA. I want to congratulate President Trump on his emphatic victory, certain that Greek-American relations will continue to be strong and productive. They have a strategic nature and are of a national and not factional character. I look forward to even closer cooperation," he said.
The prime minister noted that cooperation between Athens and Washington had always been close, even during Donald Trump's first presidential term, while the invitation he received to speak in Congress had come from both sides of the House. He also noted that Greece's position in NATO and as a partner in the EU was a position of principles.
"If I had to make a first comment it would be about Europe. Our continent must dynamically seek its place on a world map that is constantly changing. To make the European economy more competitive. To build our strategic autonomy in new conditions," he said, among others, noting that these issues will be discussed at the emergency summit in Budapest. The prime minister offered his congratulations for the strategic plan for diaspora Hellenism and emphasised that the State was making a carefully considered choice to establish a diplomacy that extended to many levels.
"What we saw presented is the reflection of many proposals submitted by our expatriate organisations around the world. On this basis, we are now coming to strengthen the bridges that unite us with Greeks everywhere", he underlined. Mitsotakis cited as an example the extremely useful platform for learning Greek, which has over 50,000 users worldwide.
"The same applies to the programmes for hosting young people in the summer months. It is experiences at such an age that impress themselves and stay with people throughout their life. You made it a strategic goal for Greeks to be served by the consular authorities. I would make that the primary goal. Their contact with the consular authorities had come to be tantamount with the word inconvenience and we have to change that," added the prime minister.
Mitsotakis pointed out that the issuing of passports has been speeded up and can be speeded up even further, while he highlighted the foremost change in the laws, the postal vote that allowed Greeks abroad to exercise their right to vote from their place of residence. He noted that it was passed for the European elections only, by the governing majority, and its subsequent implementation served as proof that the reforms that some dismissed as impossible, could be done.
"The time is ripe for the next step, which is the extension of postal voting to national elections as well. I believe that in the face of such a prospect, all parties will reconsider their position so that we can send a message of unity and progress", he underlined.
"This is a patriotic duty in today's highly volatile global environment. When we talk about our policy towards the Greeks Abroad, let's consider it as an important arm of the active foreign policy that in recent years has raised the prestige of the homeland. Everyone recognises Greece as a pillar of stability in a troubled region of the planet," he stressed.
Mitsotakis noted that Greeks abroad have never erased the line that unites them with the place where they or their ancestors were born. "Greece is changing every day, despite the difficulties. It improves on a road where Greek men and women, wherever they may live, should be fellow travelers. It is a wager of Hellenism and with planning, work, perseverance and dedication, we will achieve our goals and consistently implement this excellent plan that you presented to us today", the premier said.
Ακολουθήστε το Business Daily στο Google news 
