Just hours after announcing the measures of the Medium-Term Fiscal Strategy, Prime Minister George Papandreou underlined in an interview with the local newspaper "To Vima" on Saturday that he had no doubts or dilemma about making the necessary changes, "only determination that Greek families will never have to live with the consequences of default".
He also stressed that if there had been any other choice, he would have taken it.
"I wouldn't wish what I am going through on my worst enemy. In war you also make mistakes. You are wounded, you bleed, you may lose battles. But the requirement is that you win the war for saving and changing the country. But we will win the war," he stated.
Anyone claiming that the country could escape such a crisis in an easy, painless manner was probably unaware of its size and depth, he added.
Questioned about the attacks on Finance Minister Yiorgos Papakonstantinou, Papandreou underlined that decisions were taken by the government collectively. To those criticising the premier for his choice of people to work with, he replied that his only criteria were how to best promote the public interest.
Defending the government's work, the prime minister said some people seem not to have understood that in the past months he had been striving to impose a new culture of dialogue and debate on all levels.
"I do not like collective organs such as the cabinet to be sidelined with 'operetta-style' meetings lasting a few minutes, as was the case with the previous government. I want to listen to everyone and for them to listen to me. In the end we take well founded decisions, historic decisions," he replied.
In yet another overture to the opposition parties for consensus, he noted that he had not ruled out putting persons of broad acceptance, or even came from other parties, in crucial positions.
Papandreou rejected the idea of seeking an enhanced majority vote of 180 MPs for the Medium-Term Fiscal Strategy and repeated his invitation to the opposition for national consensus.
"We political forces must send a message that we have understood what is at stake for our country," he said, while expressing understanding for those that joined the daily protests outside Parliament.
According to the prime minister, they were right to be angry since they could not tolerate a political system that had led to waste and corruption.
ANA
