European Commission: Historic sacrifices of Greeks over the last 8 years

"This is the chapter we are now honoring, this is the historical situation that has no precedent in European and world economic history. We must safeguard this trust, we must protect it, and it is also the basis on which we must support our post-memorandum goals. In order to do this, understanding, unity, broad support for this irreversible orientation of Europe towards Greece, and irreversible shifting of European and Greek public opinion towards a common direction, towards a common process, a common future that unites us, are necessary," he said.

Mr. Schinas underlined that what is clear, "In August 2018, the Memorandum will be completed as we know it and it is the first time since 2009 that a program will be completed. The completion of the third evaluation, which is in the final stage, will be the beginning of the discussions on the postmemorandum horizon. I believe that these debates will start and intensify and lead Greece to a prospect of self-confidence and allow Grece to stand firmly on its feet and make it clear to all, friends, partners, enemies and markets that the major reform achievements will backtrack and will make obvious to all in the period after August 2018 Greece will not be alone, it will be able to rely on active support and help from Europe."

As concerns immigration, Mr Schinas said that after the awful summer of 2015 when the EU gates for one million refugees collapsed, the EU did a lot to create a border guarding agency, an agreement was reached with Turkey, there was a coordination in southern Italy, separation of asylum seekers to be returned, etc. He stressed that refugee law must be changed so as not to load the burdens on Greece and Italy. This will be the case, we are all pushing, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Commissioner D. Avramopoulos, to find a burden-sharing solution in all Member States, and this was the subject of debates at the EU summit last week . From now until June, a solution needs to be found for areconfiguration of the Dublin accord and immigration policy.

As for Brexit, Mr Schinas said it was a divorce, a very tight procedure for which the technicians such as divorce lawyers now have reasons to find the terms of a civilized divorce. It is necessary, by March 2018, to find functional ways for separation, said Mr. Schinas.