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I never thought about becoming a politician. But during the military dictatorship, my grandfather was put in prison six times and my father twice. If my family and my country didn't have this history, I might be a professor somewhere today.

George Papandreou

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George Papandreou
Age: 72
Born: 1952
Born: June 16
Diplomat
Former Prime Minister Of Greece
Politician
Sociologist
St Paul
Minnesota
George Andreas Papandreou
Might
Becoming
Professors
Country
Times
Grandfather
Never
Family
Twice
History
Six
Father
Prison
Didn
Somewhere
Thought
Politician
Professor
Today
Military
Dictatorship

More quotes by George Papandreou

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My hope is that we will turn Greece into maybe the most transparent country in the world with everything on the web.
George Papandreou
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There is this concept of politics as a dirty game.
George Papandreou
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Despite the deep reforms we are making, traders and speculators have forced interest rates on Greek bonds to record highs.
George Papandreou
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An elected government making huge changes with the consent of its people, is being undermined by concentrated powers in unregulated markets-powers which go beyond those of any individual government.
George Papandreou
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I would like to see Greece as a case study, an opportunity for Europe to strengthen its coordination of fiscal policy.
George Papandreou
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Greece's history in the drachma was an up-and-down history, a roller coaster.
George Papandreou
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We have made major reforms in Greece. When I took over after a landslide victory we had a mandate for change and I knew my major focus would be re-organizing the state.
George Papandreou
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I have always said I will be in politics to serve as best as I can and it will take me wherever it will take me.
George Papandreou
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I have been supporting the European Union, but we are still a work in progress. We have to become more of a United States of Europe. We should talk about electing a president of the E.U., rather than having one selected from the heads of government.
George Papandreou
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Politics also means educating people. It's important to speak openly with our fellow Greeks, to tell them what our problems are and that we have to change something.
George Papandreou
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People would say you look weak if you're not cursing the opposition and driving around in a big black car while always wearing a tie. Above all, to be 'strong' you're always supposed to be giving orders.
George Papandreou
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At times of distress, we all like to recall the advice of fathers and mothers. The best advice my father gave me was to keep faith and deep confidence in the potential of the Greek people nurture the belief that they can do things.
George Papandreou
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In ancient Greece, politics and the market were not decoupled.
George Papandreou
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Europe is a strong market for the U.S. If it has problems, if there's a lack of consumer confidence, if there's a deeper recession, this will deeply affect jobs in the U.S.
George Papandreou
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I think there is a heritage which I’m proud of, which is a fight for democracy, a fight for social justice, a fight for freedom. My grandfather went to jail or exile six times in his life, fighting for his principles for democracy, or for his country. And my father twice.
George Papandreou
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The Marshall Plan was after destruction, and the U.S. came to our help and obviously this was very, very important for the future of Europe. I think now we have all the capabilities of doing it on our own and, in a sense, we have to.
George Papandreou
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Unfortunately, corruption is widespread in government agencies and public enterprises.
George Papandreou
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I never thought of politics as a profession.
George Papandreou
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It is important that the Greek people make decisions on important developments.
George Papandreou
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We stand united, facing the big responsibility to change our country into a nation of justice, solidarity, humanity and green development.
George Papandreou