ΑΤΗΕΝS — European Parliament President David Sassoli on Thursday addressed a special joint session of the Greek parliamentary committees for European affairs and of defence and foreign affairs entitled "Europe after the Pandemic".

Addressing MPs, Sassoli stressed "that we must give something back to all those people that suffered due to the pandemic for the pain they suffered. Our democratic systems can do it, they have the tools to respond to authoritarian regimes with democratic solutions".

He also supported the creation of permanent European instruments that will have the power to offer resources to the EU member-states that enable them to address deep crises, such as the pandemic.

Sassoli referred to the need for a European democratic response to those that want to invest in dividing and weakening the EU.

He emphasised issues relating to the security and defence of European borders, in light also of the recent incident with Belarus and the diversion of a Ryanair flight.

Concluding, he referred to the 40-year anniversary since Greece joined the EU (then European Economic Community) saying that Greece's contribution to Europe's democratic ideals was very important.

"The voice of the Greek parliament should be loud and play a leading role during this phase because we need your voice. Because the Conference on the Future of Europe wants to inaugurate, after the end of the pandemic, a new era for democracy," Sassoli underlined.