Pavlopoulos: No hesitation or negligence permissible when defending democracy and peace

Neither hesitation nor negligence are permissible when it comes to defending peace and democracy by defending the implementation of international law and European legality, President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos said on Sunday in the coastal town of Nafpaktos. The president had just been proclaimed an honorary citizen of the Nafpaktia municipality in a ceremony marking the anniversary of the historic naval battle of Nafpaktos.

In a message to neighbouring Turkey, Pavlopoulos noted that the Greeks "when and however times this is required, will impose the full and sincere respect of international and European law in its entirety, and do so with the support of our Allies in NATO and our partners in the European Union. We will also do this on terms of unbroken unity, as we have shown every time we defended our national issues and our national rights."

Addressing the major powers, the president said that critical, international situations - such as that occurring at the present time - destroy democracy and marginalise people and fundamental human rights.

The EU, especially - due to its global role for the defence of the principles and values of peace, democracy, justice and human rights - must be prepared to intervene at all times, promptly and efficiently, in order to ensure full respect of international and European law, he added.

The president was damning about the current situation, saying it was unacceptable for history, the future and the prospects of the EU and rendered a fundamental pillar of Europe - its common foreign affairs and security policy - to be effectively stunted at a time when it should be demonstrating its true potential.