PM to call for investments in Paris visit
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be visiting Paris on Thursday to promote investments in Greece and gain support for a new agreement with Greece's creditors that could lead to lower primary surplus targets as of 2021.
The Prime Minister on Thursday will call on French investors to take advantage of the prospects that have been opened in Greece since the July 7th elections and are already reflected on state bond yields, the rising trend in the Athens Stock Exchange, and the general improvement of the economic climate.
Maximos Mansion sources said French investment interest is focused on energy, networks, construction and tourism.
Mitsotakis will meet with France's president Emmanuel Macron, whom he has known since May 2016 when the French politician was minister of the Economy, on Thursday afternoon.
He will also discuss Greek-French security and defense issues, given the fact that Greece's borders are also the borders of the EU, therefore its voice on EU migration policy and border control should be heard.
Climate change is another sector for Greek-French collaboration, government sources said, along with renewables, recycling and waste processing.
Mitsotakis is expected to express support for Macron's "green agenda,” given the fact that Greece is facing similar challenges to France in environmental protection. He will also support greater involvement of the European Council so that the new EU environmental disaster response agency RescEU, especially for fires, acquires permanent facilities.
The PM's tour in Paris and other capitals this month will discuss the reduction of the 3.5 pct primary surplus target starting from 2021, an effort the government is committed to, in order to allow fiscal space for reductions in taxes and social insurance contributions.
Mitsotakis will be accompanied in Paris by his spouse, Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis, who will follow a separate schedule.
The PM's schedule for Thursday is as follows (Greek time):
16:00, Arrival at the Elysee Palace; joint press statements by PM Mitsotakis, President Macron
16:00-16:45, Grabowski-Mitsotakis schedule, including tour of Elysee Palace, meeting with Mme Macron
16:15, Greek and French delegations meet for extensive talks
16:45, Mitsotakis meets with Macron.
[ANA-MPA]
