Mitsotakis: Greece making ‘dynamic return’ to Western Balkans
The South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) summit in Thessaloniki on Friday is an opportunity for Greece to “signal the great importance we attach to the Western Balkan countries and to try to restart, at a more intensive pace, the effort to anchor them in the safe harbor of Europe,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Friday.
Speaking to Thessaloniki FM100 municipal radio, he said the decision to hold the summit in Thessaloniki signaled Greece’s dynamic return to southeastern Europe.
He added that he was pleased and honored that European Council President Charles Michel and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be attending.
“It will be an opportunity to fully discuss the challenges for our wider region, to see the best ways to deal with the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine,” he explained.
As he said, he will have the opportunity to inform his counterparts about the Turkish provocation in recent weeks but noted that “in no case will this summit focus on Turkey.”
“Our interest is focused on Southeastern Europe and the leading role in which Greece, northern Greece and especially Thessaloniki can play, as a gateway for products and energy. Greece is making a dynamic return to Southeastern Europe, the Balkans and, of course, the protagonists in this great effort will be the companies of northern Greece.” [AMNA]
