Economy, Immigration, Energy, but also regional and international developments, thanks to the new crisis in the Middle East, will be the “agenda” of tomorrow’s meeting between the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, in Berlin.

Government sources observe that the prime minister’s visit to the German capital comes at a time when the Greek economy has moved into another phase after and investment grade recovery, at the time, it has recorded the largest debt reduction in the world in 2022, in terms of debt to GDP ratio and is now on track to reduce debt below 2012 levels by the end of the year, performance higher than developed economies of the eurozone.

The above-mentioned achievements, as the same persons emphasize, are natural to carry them along as well Greek-German relationswhich have de facto passed into another phase, as well Greece has left behind the years of crisis. This is also the message that Kyriakos Mitsotakis will send with his visit to Berlin, as the issues of the Economy, both bilateral and those related to the European agenda, are at the forefront of the discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

In any case, the negotiation for the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework is underway, in which Greece claims more resources for Migration, but also for its adaptation to climate change and especially to dealing with natural disasters.

Another issue that is expected to concern the two leaders is the energy and specifically the interconnectivityas Greece is an energy transfer hub in the South-North Corridor, a bridge between Europe with the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean up to Ukraine and seeks to be a provider of energy security in the wider region.

Apparently that too Immigrant will be on the agenda of the discussions, an issue which Greece insisted from the beginning is European and it needs a comprehensive European responsewith the need to protect the borders as the main priority, a principle that is now a European acquis.

Mitsotakis and Soltz are also expected to exchange views on regional and international developments, with an emphasis on the situation in Middle East and to Eastern Mediterraneanthe Western Balkansthe latest developments in Ukraine, as well as all issues of European interest in view of the December European Council.

Meeting with CDU leader and Charles Michel leaders dinner today

Today (Monday) afternoon the Prime Minister will have a meeting with CDU leader Friedrich Merz. Afterwards, they will have a public debate at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), which will be prefaced by the Foundation’s president, Norbert Lammert, with the event entitled: “Greece and Europe – A new chapter with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis”.

Finally, on Monday evening, Kyriakos Mitsotakis will sit next to the dinner of leaders (Greece, Cyprus, Austria, Lithuania, Belgium and Hungary), hosted by the president of the European Council Charles Michel at the chancellery, as part of informal group discussions with the leaders of EU to adopt the EU Strategic Agenda in the first half of 2024.

As government sources emphasize, the debate on the EU’s Strategic Agenda was opened at the informal European Council in Granada and concerns the ways in which the EU will face geopolitical challenges, but also how it will strengthen its geopolitical footprint, i.e. the debate on EU enlargement, its resilience and competitiveness.