Papoulias - Decision on Cyprus "Not Permissible Because It Is Selective"

The Eurogroup decision reached in the early morning hours of Monday after a marathon session in Brussels is "not permissible because it is selective", Greek President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias said, speaking after the traditional military parade in central Athens marking the 192nd anniversary of the March 25 Greek national Independence Day, which marks the start of the Greek revolution against Ottoman rule on March 25, 1821.

   "Today is a great day, it is a day of memory and honor, honor to those who rose up with passion of soul and the passion for freedom as their only weapon, and who gave us a free country and faced up to an Ottoman empire," Papoulias said.
   "Their example is also a contemporary example for today's difficult moments as well," the President said, and expressed hope that "the message of this day will reach all the major capitals, and especially Berlin".

Noting that "our thoughts at this time are with sorely-tried Cyprus, the state news agency quoted him as saying that:

   "The European Union's decision is "not permissible because it is selective. The EU should not select its victims as it thinks it should, because this creates a chasm with the dreams of the European peoples that the European Union can be a shelter for all the weak."