I cannot hide my emotion for the recognition of our cooperation. We took over - the history has been erased by my friend Christodoulos Agastinotis - but, without your support, all and any policies we have drawn up with my valued colleagues would not have worked if you had not advised, adapted, and introduced policies that would rectify or achieve what we have achieved. Those who misjudge cannot be unaware that we have gone through three crises, seismic crises I might say. The crisis of 2013, the pandemic crisis, the crisis of the recent war. The one who evaluates the work of a government is not the opposition, which by duty can criticise, and I do not mean nihilistic criticism, but I mean constructive criticism. What is important is that, thanks to your cooperation and that of the other partners involved in the economy, we have managed to deal successfully with the crises, and not only have we dealt with them, but we have refuted the predictions of the International Monetary Fund by presenting this year, the '22, with a war that has global repercussions, with sanctions that Europe, and not only Europe, was forced to impose against Russia, to present growth rates of 5.8%, delivering not only surplus budgets, but also creating the conditions for further growth in the economy of the country. Whether these refer to services, such as tourism, whether these refer to business activity or innovation or shipping or sustainable development and the transition to green growth or energy. And I do not want to elaborate because it is not my intention to take stock of the project. History will judge that soberly when the dust has settled on the acrimony that always follows an election period. What I feel the need to do is to express my gratitude and thanks for your cooperation, our close cooperation, which was decisive in the measures taken by the Government, because we were a Government, we were a Government that lent a sympathetic ear to those who knew much more than we possibly could. And I cannot fail to mention that it was precisely as a result of this cooperation, of fiscal discipline, of economic prosperity, that we were able to implement a policy aimed at people, through a radical social policy, a radical health policy. Not to mention the important reforms relating to the functioning of the state. The decision to limit the President's term of office to two terms was none other than our decision. The decision to create Deputy Ministries, so that political persons could be entrusted with the vision, was but one act towards modernising the state. And speaking of modernization, I cannot disregard the work of the Deputy Minister of Innovation and Research in terms of the transformation, the digital transformation of the government, and these will become apparent over time. What has been done in four years has never been done before in the 60 years of the Republic. There are many areas that I could mention, whether it is the reforms of the judiciary or local government or decisions that did not take into account the political cost, but the beneficial, the universal good. I do not want to expand, this is not the time to take stock of the work. My friend Christodoulos Agastinotis, the President of the KEBE, has made extensive reference only to part of the many things we have achieved, and what is important is that we were judged in the three crises, institutional crises, seismic crises that the country faced, and we emerged unscathed. What I feel the need to do is once again express my thanks and gratitude for the close cooperation we have had. I would like to express my sincere thanks to my close colleagues, to the Council of Ministers and to promise that as an active citizen I will always be by your side to exert whatever influence I can, in any direction, to ensure that the country continues to enjoy stability, economic prosperity and fiscal discipline. Thank you very much for everything.
(BIO/NG/EP)
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