hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Greece assumes European Union presidency
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Greece assumes European Union presidency
Greece welcomed in the New Year by assuming the presidency of the Council of the European Union for the next six months. Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has stated 2014 will be the year the country exits the bailout agreement.
Evangelos Venizelos, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Greece, issued a statement on the website of the EU presidency. Venizelos stated Hellenic presidency priorities will include job creation, banking union and irregular immigration. Greece has budgeted €50 million for the role of EU presidency. According to Deutsche Welle this figure is the "lowest in the history of the bloc-wide role." Ekathimerini reported German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble stated the EU presidency offers a great opportunity for Greece, adding: "The presidency will show the Greek people that Europe is its future.” Schaeuble further stated that the EU will not turn its back on Greece if it continues to stick to an agenda of agreed reforms. He added: “We’ll decide in the middle of the year if we have to help Greece still further." However, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said "In 2014 we will make the big step to exit the loan agreement" according to the Economic Times. He further pledged 2014 will be the year Greece will "start becoming a normal country."
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Greece assumes European Union presidency