Recently re-elected German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke at the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung‘s conference in Berlin on Thursday evening, where Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is also scheduled to deliver a speech.
The German leader expressed her admiration for the efforts and achievement of a primary surplus in Greece, noting that “the changes are important”. Mrs. Merkel further elaborated on the importance of the primary surplus because “many in the troika did not believe that it could be achieved, but despite everything, it was achieved”.
Mrs. Merkel later claimed that the recent developments in Ireland and Portugal are indicative of the success of European politics in tackling the financial crisis.
