Madam President, Roberta, I welcome you with joy to Greece, which you are visiting for the second time in your capacity as President of the European Parliament. Your visit could not be more timely, as it coincides with the inauguration of the Europa Experience. We were just there in this truly impressive interactive space in the center of Athens, which gives our young citizens, the new Greeks, the opportunity to engage with what the European project truly means. I believe it is a truly important substantive initiative.
I think you also saw the interest in the young people's eyes for the interactive experiences this space offers. I believe this is very critical in an era where, unfortunately, the voices of populists from both the right and the left are heard very loudly. In this context, it is very important to educate our young people, because the Union contributes to peace and the prosperity of our continent.
We discussed the role of these institutions in detail today with the President, in view of our country assuming the presidency of the Council in the second half of 2027. First, we agree that complex challenges require direct, bold, and dynamic responses, especially when the very fluid international situation requires Europe to mature geopolitically, to make strategic choices that will be critical not only for the prosperity of its peoples but also for their security, while also strengthening relations between member states.
We discussed the diplomatic developments regarding Ukraine. Once again, we reiterated the need to provide substantial support to the brave Ukrainians. In this direction, the very important energy agreements we signed a few weeks ago with President Zelensky also moved, in view of a difficult winter, with Greece playing a critical role in providing natural gas to tested Ukraine.
The goal, of course, now that there seems to be new momentum, can only be a just and sustainable peace. However, it must be a peace that is compatible with the security interests of European states. Europe must be present, not with words. It must be present with actions. Otherwise, not only will it not write its own history, but history will pass it by.
We have spoken extensively and discussed many times, including during the President's regular briefings to the European Council, about European competitiveness. I personally consider this the primary challenge facing our continent today. We agree in principle on the need to implement the proposals of the Draghi report more quickly. On the one hand, the demand for a truly integrated single market, which will offer substantial growth opportunities to all businesses from all member states.
In this context, I insist that initiatives like the Savings and Investments Union, the Energy Union to finally achieve converging low energy prices across Europe, the simplification of the regulatory framework, the fight against bureaucracy, the new 28th regime for startups. All these are critical priorities. It has been over a year since Mr. Draghi wrote his report, and the truth is that the progress we have achieved, despite the broad agreement, is unfortunately not what we would like.
European businesses today face excessive compliance costs with regulations that we ourselves often recognize are unnecessary or excessive. This simplification is necessary to eliminate these obstacles. This is also served by the legislative initiatives proposed by the European Commission. But all of this, as the President knows, requires unanimity in the Council and a majority in the Parliament, and these majorities are not easy to find in such a polyphonic body.
Dialogue and consensus, flexibility and will are required. However, sometimes courage is also required to go beyond the boundaries of our political families and our ideological starting points. I really want to express my admiration and joy that the President of the European Parliament in such a difficult situation is Roberta, who has proven she has the ability to listen and to build consensus, but also to make decisions when necessary to find the broad majorities needed for Europe to move forward quickly and respond to the needs of its citizens, but also to withstand global competition.
Continuing on these themes, I want to speak a bit about the multi-annual financial framework. The improvements presented by the European Commission in its initial proposal cover, to some extent, our own reservations. For us, competitiveness and cohesion are two sides of the same coin, with the single market as the bridge connecting them.
As for the Common Agricultural Policy, a central pillar of the European edifice, it must become more effective, it must give weight to the single market, and it must be combined with actions to adapt to the climate crisis, especially the critical issue of water management, which concerns all Southern European countries.
Regarding defense, I have spoken many times, and we have discussed with the President the Greek proposals. We have taken significant steps in this direction. It is important when we speak about defense to recognize that the approach we must take must be a 360-degree approach, and we must establish a true strategic autonomy with pillars in the defense industry and support for startups, which have a very important role to play in this constantly evolving theater of military operations, as we unfortunately observe every day in Ukraine.
Europe must send a message, to both enemies and friends, that it is finally taking its security seriously and must prove this with specific, visible actions. I want to remind the President that Greece is one of the few countries that today generates significant primary surpluses, which substantially helps in debt reduction and in building the concept of fiscal stability. We achieve this by spending well above the European average on defense.
We are doing our part for the common effort to build European Strategic Autonomy, but it is important that all member states do this, especially those that are lagging behind in this area.
Finally, we spoke about migration, regarding the full implementation of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum in June 2026. For us, it is critical that the agreed terms are respected, and that responsibilities are fairly distributed among member states based on the principle of solidarity. But not only that. I reiterated the permanent Greek position that the protection of the EU's external borders and the fight against smuggling networks are the foundations for an effective migration policy.
I think we have both observed this gradual shift of the European Union towards positions that are much closer to what my country has historically advocated. We cannot allow networks of illegal migrants to control who enters Greek and European territory. On all these issues, we consider the European Parliament an ally.
President Metsola knows well how our continent is strengthened when the institutions and member states of the European Union move together on the path of cooperation and common solutions. I conclude with the observation that in today's meeting, we identified this common ground and this common step, which we perceive, but I think also our common anxiety, to move faster and more boldly in the decisions we must make, decisions that have already been agreed upon and must be implemented for the good of all European citizens. Madam President, welcome again, and thank you very much.
Thank you very much, Prime Minister, for the warm welcome. It is a pleasure to be back here. You just said when it is more important that we stand together and we stand stronger as a union. And here, Greece is the most reliable partner. The Greek bounceback has been fantastic, fiscally, economically, and beyond. Unemployment has fallen from over 27% to below 10%, the lowest in more than a decade. Jobs are returning, investment is huge, growth is picking up since 2021. And we don't say this enough: the economy has grown faster than the euro area average, with forecasts suggesting continued growth each year here.
I have to commend Prime Minister Mitsotakis. Greece this week committed 2.1 billion to build. And especially what I appreciate about you, Prime Minister, is that even when we as a Parliament ask sometimes difficult questions, you always answer with candor and straightforwardness that allows this country to lead the conversation.
Today we also spoke, as you heard, about Ukraine. We are hopeful and we want to end this war. Discussions on a European peace agreement must be lasting and with Ukraine. Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Here, I also thank the Prime Minister for Greece's support for Ukraine. Gas not only offers an important lifeline to Ukrainians facing a harsh winter, but it also reinforces our transatlantic partnership that you yourself have been at the very forefront of pushing.
Last word on migration. Greece has carried over the years a disproportionate share of Europe's migration strain. Now, as states are starting to be formally recognized as being under migratory pressure, we must move quickly on the outstanding files to speed up asylum procedures and increase returns. And here, experience and expertise must continue to guide our approach forward. And in this regard, I am very grateful for the hard work of all of Greece's MEPs that they do as members of the European Parliament every day.
