“I would like to congratulate Nicos Anastasiades on his clear victory in the presidential elections. The outcome of the elections shows that the citizens of Cyprus clearly support a pro-European path of reform and close European cooperation.

Cyprus has asked for assistance in overcoming its serious banking and budgetary crisis. People in Cyprus know that we are ready to provide European support together with our partners in the eurozone. However, solidarity is not a one-way street. It requires the readiness to carry out reforms, genuine transparency and long-term consolidation of the banking sector as well as the will to conduct fair negotiations with a view to achieving results. I hope that a sound reform package will be agreed very soon.

The European triad of budgetary discipline, growth through greater competitiveness and solidarity is the key to mastering the major challenges that Cyprus is facing today.”