Address by the President of the Democratic Rally, Mr. Averof Neofytou at the dinner in honor of Commission VP for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, Mr. Jyrki Katainen
Sunday, January 27th, Hilton Cyprus, 8.30 p.m.
Dear Commission Vice President,
Dear friends,
I would like to thank you for joining us tonight in honor of the Vice President of the European Commission for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, Mr. Jyrki Katainen.
Jyrki Katainen since he was Prime Minister of Finland and welcomed us in Helsinki, until his days as Vice-President of the Commission has been a steady and valuable friend not only of Cyprus, but also of the Democratic Rally, and myself.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank him warmly for his long-standing friendship and support.
Dear Jyrki,
With us tonight to welcome you are Ministers, Members of Parliament, Party leadership and the elite of the business community of Cyprus.
It is an honor for the Democratic Rally and me personally to welcome you in Cyprus.
Dear friends,
With hard work and commitment, Cyprus reversed the effects of the economic crisis of 2013. Confidence in the market is back and the Cypriot economy is rated as investment grade after 7 years.
The economy of Cyprus is growing at the remarkable rate of approximately 4%, becoming one of the fastest growing economies in the Eurozone. With a positive general government budget balance in a surplus position. As a result, unemployment is decreasing and we feel confident that if the appropriate policies continue to be implemented, we will soon return to full employment conditions.
Now is the time to proceed with reforms for a truly modern and citizen-friendly state.
The business community
Our strategic objective is to continue the macroeconomic, fiscal and financial stability. To strengthen the competitiveness of the economy through sustainable development and social cohesion.
Cyprus, a modern European country, providing prosperity to its citizens will continue to form alliances in the region, fully utilizing aligned interests and collaborations arising from our energy prospects and our European identity.
Cyprus is indeed our home; we feel proud of being Cypriots. But Europe is our future and our security and we also feel proud to call ourselves Europeans.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
Some of the most important changes in the everyday life of Europeans are because of the European Union. These are now so ingrained in our lives, they are taken for granted. Think of telephony roaming across Europe, a costly thing till very recently. The euro, a stable currency across the Eurozone. The safety of products based on high quality standards. The benefits of Europe are across the board.
Very recently the leading candidate of the European People’s Party for the Presidency of the European Commission and – I am sure – the next President of the European Commission, Mr. Manfred Weber was in Cyprus. In fact, he started his campaign and the listening tour from here as you know.
The coming European elections are important. Even though Europe has managed the economic crisis, it is still faced with turmoil. A member state is leaving the Union with the upcoming Brexit. And we are faced with extreme and populist voices across the continent.
And here is the paradox. Extreme political parties, whether on the far right or the far left, attack Europe, and want less Europe. They blame Europe for nearly everything. They are blind to the benefits a stronger Union will bring to all Europeans.
At the same time, they seek the vote of the people in the European elections. On the one hand, this is the strength of a democratic system. But on the other, if we want a better and more stable Europe we must realize that the rise of anti-European parties can only mean a weaker, unstable and vulnerable Europe.
A wrong vote in a national election can be costly to the country. A wrong vote in the European elections though, can be costly to all of Europe. As a resistant European Parliament can paralyze the system.
It is vital for the prosperity of Europe that the pro-European forces prevail. The European People’s Party is the primary pro-European political family. In Cyprus, the Democratic Rally is the primary European political party. Strong pro-European parties, mean a strong European People’s Party. A strong EPP is a guarantee for a better and stronger Europe.
Dear Vice-President,
We stand with our European family, the European People’s Party to support the mandate of our leading candidate for the Presidency of the Commission, Manfred Weber to make Europeans proud of their “home Europe”. We will work for a better Europe together and make sure all countries are heard and respected. To help build a more united, more secure – a stronger Europe together.
I would like to thank you again for your presence here with us tonight and wish you a fruitful stay in Cyprus.
