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" We're very proud to be part of the eurozone. But this comes with obligations and it is crucial we show the world we can live up to those obligations. "

George Papandreou

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" I never thought of politics as a profession. "

George Papandreou

" I have been supporting the European Union, but we are still a work in progress. We have to become more of a United States of Europe. We should talk about electing a president of the E.U., rather than having one selected from the heads of government. "

George Papandreou

" I would say we are a friend in need and I am sure that the Greek people would very much welcome the choice of the British people to come and enjoy Greece, first of all, but also that would be a sign of support. "

George Papandreou

" First of all, Greece won't go down. We're talking about a country that is capable of making change. Europe will not allow the destabilization of the 27-country euro zone. But if there were no action, then markets would start becoming jittery about other countries - and not only Spain and Portugal, but other countries in the European Union. "

George Papandreou

" Very often, people will come out and say, 'Greeks aren't doing things, Greeks aren't making changes, there's no reform,' That is hogwash. We have made a huge effort. The Greek people have made a huge effort. "

George Papandreou

" Many people have been pontificating, and patronizing, and moralizing, and scapegoating, saying you Greeks, you are the problem. I would say we Greeks have a problem. We are not the problem. "

George Papandreou

" The Greek people do not want to exit the euro. And I believe the Greek people already have shown that they have made major sacrifices to stay in the euro zone. "

George Papandreou

" If we had a consensus we wouldn't have to go to a referendum. "

George Papandreou

" If we were the problem, it would be very convenient - kick Greece out, everything's fine. What would happen to Spain, what about Portugal, what about Italy, what about the whole of the euro zone? We need more cooperation and less simplification and prejudice. "

George Papandreou

" The structures in Europe in a globalising economy need to be modernised, need to be more integrated, need to be stronger. "

George Papandreou

" I never thought about becoming a politician. But during the military dictatorship, my grandfather was put in prison six times and my father twice. If my family and my country didn't have this history, I might be a professor somewhere today. "

George Papandreou

" This idea that you're a successful tough guy if you evade taxes and deceive the state has got to change. "

George Papandreou

" We had about 60 regions in Greece and now there are only 13. It'd be like cutting down 50 states to 13 and making it more efficient. "

George Papandreou

" If you put all the European countries together, we are the biggest economy in the world. "

George Papandreou

" We are a country with great potential. We have the political will to make deep changes in a just and equitable way, to put our country back on a development path, to meet the challenges of a new world. "

George Papandreou

" Greece has great strengths, but much of this potential has been wasted. That's because of a wider political system, but also because of a lack of an institutional framework. "

George Papandreou

" When I was growing up in the United States and Sweden, I never thought about becoming a politician. "

George Papandreou

" Countries are not like financial markets. Social change cannot be executed as swiftly as credit-default swaps. You cannot sell short on social commitments and practical responsibilities. "

George Papandreou

" I would like to see Greece as a case study, an opportunity for Europe to strengthen its coordination of fiscal policy. "

George Papandreou

" Despite the deep reforms we are making, traders and speculators have forced interest rates on Greek bonds to record highs. "

George Papandreou

" My hope is that we will turn Greece into maybe the most transparent country in the world with everything on the web. "

George Papandreou

" There is this concept of politics as a dirty game. "

George Papandreou

" I am proud of being a Greek of the diaspora. "

George Papandreou

" Everyone needs to carry out his own personal revolution. "

George Papandreou

" It is important that the Greek people make decisions on important developments. "

George Papandreou

" If Greece had gone through a very normal political life, I may have not been in politics. But just the fact that I lived through huge upheavals and very difficult struggles and polarization and the barbarism of dictatorships - that made me feel that we had to change this country. "

George Papandreou

" How can a parliamentarian or a leader in a country say, on the one hand, that we're going to support Greece but at the same time say that Greeks are lazy? "

George Papandreou

" The fact that we're going through a crisis is an opportunity for Europe to be more coordinated and more integrated. We're actually talking about a European Monetary Fund or euro bonds, about guarantees for countries, about economic governance in the European Union. That shows the strength of Europe. "

George Papandreou

" Previous governments, particularly the one before I took over, mismanaged the economy quite badly. "

George Papandreou

" I think there is a heritage which I'm proud of, which is a fight for democracy, a fight for social justice, a fight for freedom. My grandfather went to jail or exile six times in his life, fighting for his principles for democracy, or for his country. And my father twice. "

George Papandreou