Greek PM: Foreign criticism on Greece's economy reaches level of racism

ATHENS, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou denounced on Sunday evening as racist recent vitriolic comments against the country on the status of its national economy by foreign officials and media.

"Some descriptions reach the level of racism" the Greek premier said during the course of a Cabinet meeting concerning the new administrative structure of the country, stressing that "we must preserve our independence and our right to make decisions about our economy without outside interventions."

Papandreou acknowledged for one more time that the current huge budget deficit Greece faces amounts to a "treat to national sovereignty" and expressed optimism for the successful outcome of his government's efforts to lead the country out of the crisis into prosperity.

The prime minister called on all Greeks and the media to "say no to panic." Insisting that the root of Greece's problems is not the economy, but the way of governance, Papandreou stressed his belief that if people support his socialist government's vision of radical changes in 2010, the future will be brighter.

Making a positive assessment of the first 100 days the new government celebrates this week, the prime minister said that in the coming days the government will announce the revised Stability and Growth Program EU partners and markets expect to see.

Even though EU officials and foreign analysts have not yet been convinced by the Greek government's ideas on solving a deep financial crisis which has caused great concern across the eurozone, the majority of Greek citizens seems convinced that Papandreou has chosen a good direction.

According to a latest poll, 57.1 percent of Greeks think that what has been announced so far is positive.