Tsipras: Greece returns. It emerges from the crisis, finds a leading role in the Balkans – Politics

"Today, Greece is coming back in. Today, Greece is emerging from the crisis and regaining its leading role in the Balkans," said Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in his statements after the conclusion from the Western Balkans Summit in London. And all this, as first mentioned Mr. Tsipras, after eight difficult years for Greece (since the beginning of the crisis in 2010), where "the country has unfortunately lost a significant part of its geopolitical dynamics and its role in the region ".

The Prime Minister noted that although Greece has not yet participated in the well-established annual meeting of the Berlin Process, an initiative taken in 2014 by Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. Italy, the United Kingdom and Austria the participation of the six countries of the Western Balkans, this year is not only called to participate, but is now called as a permanent member of this process with regard to the Balkans perspective Western. "

This is why, as Alexis Tsipras mentioned, Greece is now the power that it can guarantee the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries, their security, their peace, their stability and their growth potential. "

Referring to the debates of the summit, the Prime Minister stated that" beyond the fact that The main role that Greece recovers in the region, we have discussed and proposed very important projects concerning connectivity, transport, energy, digital from northern Greece to the Balkans.The projects that have already taken place during the four-day meeting between Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania on the interconnection of ports of northern Greece with those of the Black Sea and the Danube, energy projects, the IGB vertical axis, rail and road links between Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Skopje, Belgrade and Budapest. "

M. Tsipras went on to say that ideas on the financial support of these projects were discussed and proposed "as well and financial aid for projects related to Greece's borders with Macedonia to strengthen cross-border infrastructure and improve the quality of life." enterprise spirit on both sides. "

" I want to say in a nutshell that this summit shows the possibility and perspective of the Greek Prime Minister said: "But the prospect of Northern Greece, of our Macedonia and Thessaloniki, as the center of economic development of the Balkan region, is underlined. Thessaloniki can become the economic capital of the Balkans, Northern Greece can become a lever of growth in the region that can be the locomotive of development for the entire Balkans. "