Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek opposition party’s newly elected president, appealed to America’s Greeks in a public statement exclusively published through The National Herald (Ethnikos Kyrikas), Astoria.
The New Democracy leader told New York’s Greek language daily newspaper that Greek Americans are to be “the spark that Greece needs to regain its competitiveness and prosperity”.
He called on diasporans, known for their success, experience and love for Greece, to take an active role and make significant contributions for a new Greece.
In the last line of his statement, the son of former Greek prime minister Konstantinos Mitsotakis also referenced that he’d fight for diaspora Greek citizens’ right to vote in Greek elections.
His entire statement is contained below:
“To the Greeks of America,
I am reaching out to you, a few hours prior to the elections on 10 January, in order to express my deep satisfaction for the messages of broad support that I have been receiving regarding my candidacy from the Greek-American community, a part of Hellenism that I am attached with through ties of friendship and respect for a long time now.
I am well aware of what you have achieved; I am well aware of where you have arrived in the competitive society in which you live.
I am well aware also about the issues that concern you, on which I have stated my positions clearly, as for example, your right to vote from your place of residence.
My dear friends, Greece is at a critical crossroad. We can not make a new mistake.
There is only one road. The one leading to the future, to the utilization of the tremendous potential of our people, and mainly our youth.
We do not deserve the Greece we have today. This Greece is not who we are. This Greece cannot make the Greeks of the diaspora proud. Under a competent leadership, with a leader who is knowledgeable, experienced in the public as well as in the private sector, a leader who knows how the outside world operates, as well as with your help, we will win back respect for our country; we will put our economy on a course of stable growth, and we shall make Greek Americans proud again of their Greek origins.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis.”