Greek President hosts Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is meeting with Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou at the Presidential Palace in Athens.

The Greek president praised Merkel’s political legacy, adding that she had shaped German and European policy for almost two decades. She also thanked Merkel for her efforts to reinforce and protect bilateral ties while commending her pro-European stance on a number of challenges that tested the cohesion of the European project.

Sakellaropoulou also referred to the 10-year financial crisis, adding that Greece had often felt isolated. She said she believed that the crisis had encouraged mutual understanding.

She said it was crucial that Europe managed to maintain its cohesion, as demonstrated in the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the bloc’s recovery fund. 

Merkel admitted that there had been ups and downs in bilateral ties between the two EU members. She said that there was always the belief that Greece and Germany were on the same side.