"This image of the sports family united is very pleasant. Sport unites. Sport is not divisive. And this government will continue to serve this mission of promoting sports as a whole in the country. With works and not with words," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday during the cutting of the New Year's pie at the Ministry of Education, Religion and Sports. The prime minister wished a happy new year to Greek athletes ahead of the Olympic Games.
He underlined that it was worth sometimes to remember the spirit of collectiveness, volunteerism, which was "born" through the 2004 Olympic Games.
"We have to look for that invisible thread that unites the challenges of another era with the difficulties we are called to face today. And I think that we will draw many positive conclusions from what we achieved in 2004. Conclusions which are also useful today," he underlined.
Mitsotakis also said that 2024, as an Olympic Games year, gives the government the opportunity to unfold its overall plan for sports.
"We have a lot to do. We've done a lot, we still have a lot more to do, whether it's for the OAKA's sports facilities, school sports, fan violence, or how we're going to encourage young kids to get more involved in sports, how we can draw them away from other challenges, combat childhood obesity, and addiction to electronic devices. Sport provides an answer to all these deep social problems," he said.