The fact that political forces in Athens have not been able to agree on the formation of a new government fills me with great concern. This seriously diminishes confidence in Greece’s readiness to carry out reforms, confidence which is urgently needed.
What the country needs now are reliability and the will to reform, so that it can turn the corner in close cooperation with its European partners. While the necessary reforms will be difficult and painful, they are the only road back to growth and competitiveness. There’s no alternative.
We want to help Greece on that road. We want Greece to stay in the euro area. The decisions to be taken in Athens now are therefore not just about the country’s future government. They are about the Greek people’s commitment to Europe and to the euro.