Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who said Greece is an emerging “success story,” despite a six-year-long recession and record unemployment, got another pat on the back from a fellow political leader when visiting Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta said he believes Greece is emerging from its crisis and has his country’s support.
At a meeting the two leaders covered a range of issues, including that of illegal immigration as well as the Greek and Italian EU presidencies in 2014. The two men also discussed the benefits stemming from the Trans Adriatic Pipeline for natura gas (TAP) project, both in terms of energy source as well as the creation of new jobs.
“We need a policy which will combine reforms with growth,” said Samaras, who noted the need for Greece to produce a primary surplus in order to return to growth and battle a jobless rate of 26.9 percent, some 64 percent for those under 25.
“Europe in mythology and history was born here, Europe first faced the crisis here and here is where it will be reborn,” said Letta. He cancelled a scheduled visit to the Acropolis in a sign of respect following a bus accident which occurred near Napoli and left 39 people dead on July 28.
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