The Club-27, which was instigated by the French President Nichola Sarkozy this time met in Berlin with the topic: “Europe’s role in the international economic crisis”.

The Conference was attended by leading members of the centre-right parties of EPP (Europeans People Party) from all the countries of EU, the Greek Parliament Member intervened by depositing the views of New Democracy party, emphasizing in the positive role that Greece is seeking to develop in order to ensure its European course; a course that was deeply shocked by the recent proposal for a referendum.

Member of the Parliament and Secretary of the Governmental Program for New Democracy party Evripidis Stylianidis attended the Club-27 Conference in Germany, which was chaired by Chancellor A. Merkel.

A number of contacts with senior members from the Parties (CDU/CSU) that form the Government in Germany were completed by the Parliament Member of Rodopi district and Secretary of the Governmental Program for New Democracy party Dr. Evripidis Stylianidis.

Evripidis Stylianidis met in Bavaria with the Vice-President of the Parliament and responsible for the Foreign Affairs of the CSU party Mr. Bocklet, as well as with Bavarian Minister of Economics Mr. Fahrenschon with whom he exchanged views for the economic crisis and agreed to share expertise on issues related with the application of the governmental program.

The Secretary of the Governmental Program for New Democracy party accompanied by the substitute Secretary of Foreign Affairs and EU relations Mr. Michalis Peglis, represented the President of New Democracy party Mr. Antonis Samaras to the Club-27 initiative that took place in Berlin and was chaired by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Inside the scope of the Conference Dr. Stylianidis had a meeting with the German Chancellor Mrs. Angela Merkel with whom he discussed practical ways of enhancing the cooperation of the two parties CDU/CSU – New Democracy, with the purpose of improving the bilateral relations and exchanging expertise for the application of common policies in the context of EPP.

The Greek delegation had also important meetings with top members of the German party and colleagues of the Chancellor:

• Volker Kauder; President of the Parliamentary Group for the Christian-Democrats (CDU/CSU).
• Peter Altmaier; Substitute President of the Parliamentary Group for the Christian-Democrats.
• Thomas Rachel; Federal Deputy Minister of Education, Research and Technologies of Germany.

Evripidis Stylianidis: The problems are no longer but instead European

With the completion of the Conference, the Secretary of the Governmental Program for New Democracy made the following statement:

“The problems are no longer national but instead European. The Economic Crisis must not divide us but instead unite us. New Democracy, the party that placed Greece inside Europe, today guarantees the continuation and the strengthening of the European prospect of our country.

Beyond and above all it supports policies that enhance our European direction, achieve the necessary changes, protect and not destroy the social cohesion.

I made clear to our friends and partners that now is the time for them to apply the principle of European solidarity, while at the same time I ensured them that now is also the time of responsibility for us.

It is the time to change everything that the socialists did not dare, not with populist referendums, but instead with bold and responsible national and European policies that will reinstate Greece back to the forefront of the developments that are taking part to the solid European core.”