Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras issued a strong call for “a better Europe, and a new and inspiring vision for Europe’s citizens” today when addressing parliamentarians from the 47-nation Council of Europe.
Europe faced a political and social crisis which was shaking it to its very foundations, he said. The economic crisis had “awakened the monster of populism” which was trampling on European values. The solution was “a new social contract” which would strengthen democracy and combat inequality, he declared, citing the standards of the Council of Europe’s Revised Social Charter as a “sustainable common path for peoples and states”.
He also spoke of Greece’s huge efforts to deal with the humanitarian consequences of the migration and refugee crisis, and called on European partners to share the burden of dealing with the crisis on the basis of solidarity.
Mr Tsipras also urged the United Kingdom to remain in the EU, but said that – whatever the outcome of tomorrow’s referendum in the UK – a fresh vision was needed for Europe’s future.
He praised the work of the Council of Europe, recalling its support for democracy in Greece during the dictatorship of the colonels in the 1970s.