"At times of distress, we all like to recall the advice of fathers and mothers. The best advice my father gave me was to keep faith and deep confidence in the potential of the Greek people nurture the belief that they can do things."

"The fact that we're going through a crisis is an opportunity for Europe to be more coordinated and more integrated. We're actually talking about a European Monetary Fund or euro bonds, about guarantees for countries, about economic governance in the European Union. That shows the strength of Europe."

"If Greece had gone through a very normal political life, I may have not been in politics. But just the fact that I lived through huge upheavals and very difficult struggles and polarization and the barbarism of dictatorships - that made me feel that we had to change this country."

"In ancient Greece, politics and the market were not decoupled."

"Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains."

"Duty largely consists of pretending that the trivial is critical."

"My dad has always been really helpful. He taught me that talent is a bonus, but persistence is what wins out."

"Some very famous directors have started in the mail room, which is just getting inside the studio, getting to know people, getting to know the routine."