Brussels, 26/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - At a joint press conference on Tuesday 26 November with the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, the Greek prime minister, Antonis Samaras, said the country was ready to take over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU from Lithuania on 1 January 2014.
Greece will be promoting a Europe with less red tape that is closer to citizens - ahead of the European elections in May. Samaras said: “We are exiting the crisis and we are ready for the EU Presidency”. He said the negotiations with the country's lenders on financing for the structural adjustment programme would be completed this year “so that we assume the Presidency without the burden of the final negotiation” (see related article).
Confident in Greece's capacities, Schulz backed the Greek priority of pulling out the stops to fight youth unemployment. He said the eurozone must keep its promises for the country's debt, fearing that the talks might be delayed because a new European Commission will be appointed next November. (EL/transl.fl)