French President Emmanuel Macron didn’t waste any time in directly referring to a need for a “collective commitment” by Greek leaders towards continuing reforms by still bailout-dependent, in his first official statements after landing in Athens on Thursday for a two-day visit.
At the same time, he stressed the need for European partners to also show solidarity to the country.
His televised comments came after he was received by Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.
Echoing the two previous French presidents before him, Macron reminded that the Greek people have made numerous sacrifices during the crisis years. He also said that both he himself and his predecessors (Sarkozy, Hollande) “fought and will continue efforts” to keep Greece in the Euro zone. The French president added that Greek PM Alexis Tsipras and his government also wanted to keep Greece in the common currency and the EU.
Macron, accompanied by his wife, Brigitte, and host of French business leaders, will take advantage of his stay in the Greek capital to make an address on the future of Europe with the Acropolis as the backdrop on Thursday afternoon.
The same spot, on Pnyx Hill in front of the Acropolis’ west end, was used during Classical antiquity for the ancient Athenians’ popular assemblies. Former US president Barack Obama had reportedly considered delivering an address from the same spot during his visit Athens in November 2016, although security concerns by the Secret Service eventually led to an indoor venue.
