Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis opened the 16th Congress of his ruling New Democracy party in Athens on Friday night by declaring that Greece has transformed “from a bankrupt country” into one of the leading economies in Europe in terms of development and stability.
Addressing nearly 3,000 delegates and 3,500 observers at the two-day congress, Mitsotakis said the country’s progress justified the government’s pursuit of a third term, while calling on party members to continue working toward “the Greece of 2030.”
The congress was formally opened by chairman Theodoros Roussopoulos, who introduced the prime minister to a standing ovation that Mitsotakis described as “the loudest message” of unity and determination within the party.
Reflecting on Greece’s situation a decade ago, Mitsotakis recalled endless shut businesses, high unemployment, and large numbers of young people leaving the country, saying Greece was then viewed internationally with “global disdain.”
He said New Democracy chose a difficult path in seeking to restore Greece’s position at the core of Europe, invoking the well-known John F. Kennedy phrase about choosing challenges “not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
