Greece well prepared for Brexit fallout

Alternate Foreign Minister Sia Anagnostopoulou, declared on Tuesday that Greece was sufficiently prepared for the consequences of a possible disorderly UK Brexit.

The minister made the comments at the end of Tuesday's General Affairs Council working session on Brexit, in Brussels.

According to Anagnostopoulou, all ministers concerned were updated on the latest Brexit facts and options by European Chief Negotiator for the United Kingdom Exiting the European Union, French politician Michel Bernard Barnier.

The Greek Alternate Foreign Minister said that none of the EU member states supports a potential so-called 'hard Brexit', as it would "undoubtedly inflict major economic, political, administrative and budgetary disruptions both across the EU as well as in Britain."

Anagnostopoulou said that Greece, although a small country, would be affected by such an event. She added that although a hard Brexit will likely be averted, Greece has approved an amendment that ensures the mutual rights of both Greek and British citizens as well as Greek companies active in Britain.

She also mentioned that the so-called 'second Brexit scenario', namely briefly prolonging Brexit for technical reasons, relies entirely on the House of Commons voting for the British government's withdrawal agreement, something many observers consider a Herculean deed.

Finally, regarding a long-term Brexit, Anagnostopoulou said that Britain would have to provide what is known as 'substantive reasons', a predominantly political issue that will be discussed during the EU Summit at the end of the current week.