‘’European Ministers of Foreign Affairs have recently come to realize that our country can’t be treated as a pariah state’’, new Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias said, following a recent European council of foreign ministers.

He made the statement in reference to a unanimous decision by the Union not to slap new sanctions against Russia over the conflict in the eastern Ukraine.

“Owing money is one thing, renouncing and failing to utilize one’s rights within the EU is another. Over the last five days and in the course of the first agreements, leading to the negotiation itself, I have reached a conclusion that the EU is obliged to enter negotiations. One may not issue orders unless prepared to take ones.”