Mitsotakis: The Blinken letter seals the strategic depth of Greek-US relations

More specifically, he said: "I am obviously referring to the letter I received from the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with which Greece officially joins the F-35 programme, but at the same time receives very important free defence aid from the USA. This letter is the best seal of the strategic depth of Greek-American relations and practically confirms that a reliable but also dynamic foreign policy can have a very substantial impact on the future defence of the country, especially in the field of strengthening its deterrence capability."

He added that the government is rolling out its reform programme at great speed. "As I informed you last time, we are moving on many parallel levels. The debate has largely been monopolised by the civil marriage equality bill but I must tell you that at the same time we are concerned with a number of other important issues, such as the reform of higher education, which I would say has logically - every major reform causes and the reactions - led to a relative upheaval in universities. I want to repeat to you that our goal is not only to open up higher education to non-state non-profit universities, but also to substantially strengthen the state universities, as we have been systematically doing for four and a half years."

On her part, Sakellaropoulou said: "Strengthening the country's deterrence capability is indeed very important and I think that in this way its role as a factor of stability in our region is strengthened."

"Regarding the reforms you are currently advancing, I would say that society often shows the way and the legislator adapts because, as society evolves, the forms of coexistence evolve and there are developments on many fronts. In democracy, mobilisations are a means of expressing the opposite opinion and therefore it is legitimate, it is understandable. But what I think we should all accept is that universities must not stop their operation. The right of students to finish their studies, to move forward, not to miss an exam must be protected. This is important," she added.