German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras earlier today, expressed her content with the progress achieved in Greece’s recovery program.
Although the Greek Premier went to Berlin with a specific agenda, no comments were made on the issues presented by the Greek side. Merkel chose to express her content for the progress made in Greece and was reluctant in making any comments that would imply her position on the upcoming negotiation for Greece’s debt.
“We see very positive progress in Greece and we are confident that the next steps will soon be completed. We are certain that Greece’s economy will recover soon,” Merkel underlined and added: “Especially for people in Greece, I know how difficult the times are (referring to unemployment); the first signs of success are now visible and we will do our best to further support the country.”
Markets trust the Greek economy, Samaras noted on his part. “Greece has managed to exit recession after six years, in the third quarter of 2014,” he said, adding that the country has achieved a series of difficult targets, earlier than expected. He referred to the primary surplus and the exit to the markets, as well as the good performance of Greek bonds. He also noted that Greece is becoming a factor for energy security. “Debt surveillance is given. Greece will soon propose its own reforms framework for the following years, after the memorandum,” Samaras stated.
The two leaders spent most of their time discussing about Greece’s energy prospects and the fact that the pipeline project recently signed with Greece will generate a great deal of working positions in the near future.
Samaras on his part said that the final discussion on the viability of Greece’s debt will be postponed until 2015, since as he stated “with the completion of the upcoming Troika evaluation, we expect a final adjustment for the viability of the Greek debt to follow next year.”
On the issue of getting a “divorce” from the Troika, Samaras said that the term “divorce” is rather unfortunate, that he considers the cooperation with Greece’s lenders as fruitful and what will follow has not been decided upon yet so we have to wait to see what will happen with the upcoming tranches of Greece’s loan.
Finally, when reporters asked Merkel on the possibility of early elections, she stated that she is confident that “Samaras governs Greece with determination,” implying that this scenario is not very desirable.
SYRIZA Comments Samaras-Merkel Meeting
“The pathetic image of the Prime Minister after his meeting with Chancellor Merkel exposes both him and the country,” mentioned the official SYRIZA rebuttal to the PM’s trip and press conference in Berlin.
“Without the slightest contest of the memorandum policies of the Greek program, Mr. Samaras made it clear that the meaning of the word ‘negotiations’ is foreign to both his policies and his intentions”, noted the opposition party.
Finally, SYRIZA said that “no handshake with any foreign leader can save the PM” and adds “Besides, his refusal to answer whether he opposes the loosening of austerity measures, after the suggestion of Ms. Merkel to do so, places him among the Chancellor’s policies in Europe.”
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