The petition is addressed to Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, and Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, President of the EU Commission.
It was sent by Harald Zur Hausen to Science magazine.
"Greece is in the midst of a prolonged and deep economic recession that has already changed dramatically the lives of its citizens and threatens the very existence of its structures necessary for future recovery. To regain its forward momentum, keep alive its competitive institutions, and implement its huge reform agenda, Greece needs our help. We are confident that Greece, which has contributed enormously to European culture, can do what is called for to create a brighter future. To succeed in this difficult task, special emphasis should be given among other things to science and technology, areas in which Greece possesses particularly strong institutions and human potential. By utilizing existing structural funds, and by promoting close cooperation between major European science and technology centers and existing Greek clusters of excellence, Greece can be enabled to sustain its scientific structures, build up its own technological future, and secure a competitive economy in the long run".
The signatories of the Support Greece petition are: