A know-how agreement with France was signed yesterday between Deputy Minister of Transport Clement Beaune and his colleague George Herapetritisto assist the existing investigation into the Tempe accident, as well as to change the parameters of the railway network in the long term. Talking to “K” Mr. Bon, who was also Minister for European Affairs for a significant period of time, on the occasion of today’s Europe Day, stressed that the EU. she has achieved much more than we think. Furthermore, while he acknowledges the complexity of this undertaking, he advocates the start of an institutional debate that could lead to a replacement of the unanimity rule at the EU level. on matters of foreign policy and taxation by an increased majority.

– This is a framework agreement between Greece and France. After the Tempe accident, I suggested to the Greek minister that we improve our cooperation. And we decided to work together in concrete, tangible directions. We will contact network operators to check networks and manage railway safety. We can also help with the Greek government’s investigation and support it through our own investigative department. In the more medium to long term, we can work on network management training, which has also shown interest from the Minister of Transport. I brought a representative of the French Railways (SNCF) with me and the CEO of OSE was also in the meeting and they started a very good discussion about the progress of control of the rail network. It was a message of solidarity and real cooperation, which complements our cooperation in other very important areas such as defense, aviation, etc.

We are in Flisvos to meet people from a project that I have supported since I was Minister for European Affairs. During the French presidency, we as a government supported, together with other Europeans, projects related to the environment and the sea. It’s a boat, it’s called “The Arch” and it’s won a few races with Francis Zuillon. He and the Arka team want to sail from port to port in the EU. and promote environmental protection ideas.

France is open to discussing a replacement in the EU. unanimity rules with increased majority votes on foreign policy issues.

– I think that the EU as a club is doing more than what we see. When we look back at the beginning of this terrible war, on the first, second day there was a European summit with decisions, with sanctions that were taken, with very tough measures blocking Russian aircraft in European airspace, and some media that were banned because they were propagandizing in favor of Russia. For the first time in history, we had financial measures, weapons sent to Ukraine by Member States, direct support from the EU budget. Of course, the EU. it’s an enterprise that continues to evolve and May 9th is an opportunity to celebrate that. We need to keep growing, but I think we should be proud of everything the EU is doing in dealing with these crises. Sometimes it’s not as good, or not as much, or not fast enough, as was the case with the Greek crisis and after the immigration crisis. Of course, in other cases, such as COVID-19, we did quite well with the vaccination campaign, the recovery plan, where Greece and France were together, the reaction to the war. Although the war continues, the EU is the main financial supplier to the budget of Ukraine. Sometimes we look at what is happening outside, in the US, China and elsewhere, and forget what the EU is doing. So today there is an opportunity to recognize what the EU has achieved. in a crisis. Every country has its own reasons. Greece joined the EU in 1981, and a few years earlier he managed to get out of the dictatorship. It was a symbol of democratization and freedom. And now Ukraine wants to join the club for the same reasons.

– Yes, because if you look at what happened next, when 70 years ago some separate and somewhat crazy, in a positive sense, people said: “Let’s work together, let’s forget the war, let’s not be enemies anymore, let’s create a community” . “They started with six countries back then, now we are 27, and we not only survived all these crises, but we have taken the project further. A single currency, gradual common protection in slow steps, a common green policy, a common position on COVID-19, etc. When we look at the last seven decades, I see a lot of progress.We are not perfect, but that is why the EU is worth fighting for.

– Last year, during the French presidency, in Strasbourg, if I remember correctly, President Macron said that we were open to discussing all remaining areas of unanimity. Not only foreign policy, but also tax policy has caused all this debate. We understand that this is a sensitive issue even for France. But I think that if we want the EU to be stronger, then we have to reopen the institutional dimension. It started on May 9 last year. He may not have made enough progress. But we are on the path of reforming our institutions.