Merkel wants Greece to maintain reforms
ATHENS: German Chancellor Angela Merkel will today urge Greece to press on with tough economic reforms and maintain strict fiscal discipline on her first visit to Athens in nearly five years.
Merkel, whose insistence on austerity measures during Greece’s debt crisis made her unpopular among Greeks, will also encourage Greek politicians to support the name deal with Macedonia that would change that country’s name to the Republic of North Macedonia.
Leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, trailing badly in opinion polls ahead of a parliamentary election this year, has promised to reverse some unpopular reforms following the expiry last August of the third international bailout since 2010.
Germany, the EU’s paymaster, is also concerned about the Tsipras government’s ability to push the Macedonia agreement through. Its right wing coalition partner, the Independent Greeks, has threatened to quit the Government if the deal comes before Parliament. Tsipras said last night he would ask it to keep supporting the Government and would request a confidence vote if it did not.
Germany regards the deal as a diplomatic triumph that paves the way for Macedonia to join the European Union and Nato and limits the scope for Russian influence in the Balkans.
Today, Merkel will meet Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of the conservative New Democracy party, which is leading in opinion polls and is also opposed to the deal with Macedonia.
The issue of World War 2 reparations for Greek victims of the Nazi occupation and the repayment of a loan Greece was forced to make to Germany at that time might also be raised during Merkel’s twoday visit, diplomats said. — Reuters