Upon accepting the “keys” of the foreign ministry from outgoing minister Evangelos Venizelos, his successor, Nikos Kotzias, said he wants “new ideas for better ways to improve the conditions of the people.”

“Whoever believes that we will back down on European policies due to debt makes a huge mistake,” was he next comment, which prompted an abrupt reply by Venizelos:

“Greece did not accept, for a minute, any pressure in the name of economic policy”.

The outgoing minister, and former deputy PM, also expressed a wish that the new government doesn’t have to deal with “similar situations as (as the previous one) and to achieve something better for the country, not worse”.