国际英语新闻：Greece PM expresses confidence in overcoming crisis

ATHENS, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Greece will prove it is wrong for those who still doubt its prospects of overcoming the debt crisis, despite the activation of the EU-IMF support mechanism, said Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Monday evening.

"A page in the country's history changed on Sunday. We decided to protect Greece from major dangers. We won the struggle to restore our credibility. The creation of the EU-IMF safety net is the proof. We will answer to all those who wonder if Greece will make it," Papandreou said in a speech at a forum organized in Athens by the Federation of Greek ICT Enterprises.

Papandreou underlined that without the 110 billion euros (145 billion U.S. dollars) financial aid by the European Union and the IMF which was sealed in Brussels on Sunday, the worst scenarios heard over the past months could become a reality. The Greek Premier repeated a plea to all Greeks to bear personal responsibilities and duties and support the efforts made to lead the country out of the crisis.

Papandreou stressed the need for structural reforms, radical changes in the way the Greek political, taxation, justice, health and education systems work, using new technologies tools and the digital economy model among others in the creation of a new Greece.

Focusing on e-government and the improvement of individuals' and enterprises' access to digital development, the Greek prime minister noted that Greece can improve the state's function and its production model with this turn to digital economy.

"Greece has proved in the past that if we all try united, we can make miracles. I am certain that in this difficult turn in our history, we will make it," Papandreou concluded.