The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stated in her joint statements with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis that she was shocked by the disasters in Greece and reassured that Europe stands by Greece.
She also said that the Commission will mobilize all the necessary resources, through which – as she said – Greece can receive a total of over 2 billion euros.
“Europe is next to Greece and the Greeks. We are a union of solidarity,” Ursula von der Leyen stated. Regarding the ways in which Europe will help Greece, the president of the European Commission said that it is necessary to make investments, but also for the country to receive immediate help. “We will be fast and flexible,” she promised.
She explained that funds not spent from the previous period can be used as well as money from the Cohesion Funds. She said that the funds that can be channeled directly to the Greeks from the European solidarity fund. She also referred to “the common agricultural policy, which plays an important role. We have two funds from the previous program and now we also have the new program for agricultural policy.”
Earlier, Mitsotakis met with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
“Greece should not be alone in dealing with a situation that should be addressed by Europe as a whole. I want to emphasise that in the worst moments, the Greeks must see the best face of Europe, and that is what the parliamentary committees must do,” she underlined.
“Under these very difficult circumstances we stand by your side, expressing our absolute solidarity and support,” Metsola reassured.
From a political point of view, in terms of budget and resources, any decision that needs to be taken by the parliament will be taken as soon as possible, she said, adding that this is a major disaster linked to the climate crisis and requires unprecedented efficiency and aid.
On his part, Mitsotakis said: “We were faced with an unprecedented weather phenomenon, a disaster of enormous proportions, which was much worse than we could have foreseen.”
The Greek premier said that he is in Strasbourg to mobilize further European economic aid, both in the short term to help Greece and the Greek people, but also in the long term, to be more aware of the fact that these kinds of phenomena will occur with increased frequency and that we cannot focus only on mitigating the consequences.
