Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni finalised the sale of Greek railways company TRAINOSE to Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane after signing the agreement in Corfu this Thursday.
Gentiloni used the opportunity to express his hope that economic relations between Greece and Italy will improve further and investments between the two countries will multiply.
"Today, these relations are sealed at a very high level for both countries in this 1st High-Level Cooperation Council between Greece and Italy. Today we reiterate our strong commitment to democracy, freedom and all the values that our cultures are based on," Gentiloni said in his introduction.
"As Mr. Tsipras mentioned, we have excellent relations in economic and commercial terms and we are Greece's first strategic partner in trade. We hope this relationship will evolve further, improve in the economic sector and especially in the investment sector. Today brings new areas of cooperation, with the signing of the agreement between TRAINOSE and Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, with further investment in infrastructure and maritime transport," he said.
"We have to multiply investments, it is the best time to do so because it changes the wider economic climate, changes for the better, we have to seize the opportunity and make it clear," the Italian prime minister said.
The Italian Prime Minister Gentiloni also said the two countries signed a cooperation agreement against the illicit trafficking in works of art.
At the same time, he also expressed Italy's support for the completion of the third program review, adding that finances in both countries are now better.
"Today we can say that the European Union is much more credible for its citizens. Economic results seem to be better for both countries' economies. Economic trends are better. This is particularly important for Greece, which was affected like no other country by the austerity and the severity of this crisis," he noted.
"Today Greece is heading towards a positive conclusion of the review. The climate is more conducive to completing the program in a satisfactory and effective way, along with the assistance and input of all stakeholders," he added.
