The European Parliament honoured the contribution to European integration of Konstantinos Karamanlis, the late Greek President and Prime Minister who took Greece into the European Union.

The President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, inaugurated the bridge that links the Altiero Spinelli and Paul Henri Spaak buildings which has been named after Karamanlis. The ceremony was marked by the presence of representatives of the Greek Government (Foreign Affairs Minister George Papandreou), the Greek Parliament (Speaker Apostolos Kaklamanis), all political parties, EPP President Wilfried Martens, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group Hans-Gert Poettering and the President of Nea Dimokratia Kostas Karamanlis, as well as numerous politicians and businessmen who have contributed to the integration of Greece into the European Union.


Speeches:

• George Papandreou, Greek Foreign Affairs Minister (original in EL)
  
• Kostas Karamanlis, President of Nea Dimokratia (original in EL)
  
• Wilfried Martens, EPP President
  
• Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament
  
  
  

Pictures