The French President Francois
Hollande is on an official state visit to Greece, the second visit for the
French President since 2013. President Hollande’s state visit, a friend of
Greece, is to signify solidarity and support for the Greek Government as well
as the Greek Economy. So it is sending a message to invest in the Greek economy
since many things have changed.
Greece has been in
isolation since it has been in the state of memorandum, or on probation by the
Troika, due to the debt crisis. The Greek government is counting heavily on this
visit, both financially as well as on a communication basis. France and Greece
are to sign a cooperation of understanding on many sectors, including
technology.
It is no secret that the
French president entourage is composed of about 70 people, business as well as
political people. France is interested in the Kasteli airport, Train OSE (the
Greek train organization), the Thessaloniki port. Now that the Russians have
backed off, the French seem to have an advantage.
It is interesting to
point out that France is the best country which has the fastest and most
organized transportation network systems in the world. France has the fastest
train systems in Europe with speeds exceeding 320 km / hour.
The meeting between the
French and the Greek Presidents focused on the resolution of the Greek debt,
the refugee problem that Greece is facing, and needs financial help, as well as
setting up of the proper infrastructure to handle the mass of entrance, as well
as the securing the borders, which are European borders, as they agreed.
The
relationship between the countries goes back in the 60’s when Greece applied to
enter the club of the European Union, with France backing the request. French
President Charles DE Gaul visited Greece at the time. During 1975 then French
President Valéry
Giscard d'Estaing visited Greece to sign Greece’s entrance in the European
Union.
It is also important
to refer to the summer of 2015 when France was the only country that was
determined to avert a Grexit, and achieved it. Greece owes gratitude to France for
its important contribution and role in helping bring an agreement, difficult,
but necessary to keep Greece in the euro.
In the upcoming discussion
on the Greek debt, as well as the recapitalization of the Greek banks, which
all indications show that they will require less than 25 billion euros, France
will play an important role, and Greece needs it.
