Merkel visited Greece following an invitation addressed to her by Mitsotakis during the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Slovenia. On Thursday evening, the two leaders had dinner at the prime minister’s residence.
The German leader will begin her official visit on Friday with an address to young people at the Goethe Institute at 09:00. She will then meet with Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou at the Presidential Mansion at 10:15, and with Mitsotakis at Maximos Mansion at 10:50, before making joint statements to the press.
According to government sources, Merkel’s visit to Athens marks a turning point both for the balances within the EU, but also for Greece, which is moving forward.
Bilateral relations were to be discussed, as well as Greek-Turkish and Euro-Turkish relations after the latest developments and the ongoing Turkish provocation in the Eastern Mediterranean. They were also to discuss the migration issue, the situation in Libya, but also the moves made by Greece in the energy sector, with the most recent example being the signing of an agreement with Egypt on electricity interconnection.
The talks will also focus on bilateral economic relations, as well as the European debate on fiscal rules that will meet the challenges of the times and the new reality created by the pandemic.
SOURCE: AMNA
