The European Union has made it clear that it wants Greece to remain a part of Eurozone, but the ultimate resolve to stay in the euro area must come from Greece itself.
This was stated by European Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso at a news conference Wednesday after a debate on the economic situation in Europe during the weekly meeting of the Commission.
"We want to stand by Greece. We want to work together with Greece. Now it is of course up to the Greek people to say if they want to work also with the euro area Member states and with the European institutions," he told reporters.
Terming Greece as "a very important Member State in the European Union," Barroso said "We want Greece to remain a part of our European family, of the European Union and of the euro." He promised that the Commission will continue to work tirelessly to that end, but insisted that "the ultimate resolve to stay in the euro area must come from Greece itself."
Acknowledging that "the present situation is asking a lot of the Greek people, with many sacrifices," the Commission President reminded that the commitments taken by Greece and all the euro area Member States should be kept... "Not because the European Union or the euro area wishes it like that, but because there is no other alternative that has less pain and less difficulties."
Barroso said that there is no easier way for Greece to over come the crisis, as "Any other way out would be even more painful for the most vulnerable people and also for the majority of Greek citizens."
He emphasized very strongly that the bail-out program is not just about cuts or fiscal consolidation. He called on Greece to focus on the implementation of structural reforms and growth-enhancing measures envisaged in the program.
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