Keeping allies on our side
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’s trip to the United States, during which he engaged in a series of talks with officials, foremost of which was his meeting with President Barack Obama, was a success by any standard.
Most importantly, he ensured that Greece will have a strong ally by its side in the fall, when the debate starts on the economic policy mix that needs to be pursued by the European Union, on whether the Greek debt should or should not be restructured once again, and on whether Greece should be granted more time to complete the fiscal adjustment program.
Washington seems to understand that the current policy mix of austerity can only go so far without having a devastating effect both economically and politically.
It is up to us in Greece to ensure that the country enters the fall with its credibility intact after having implemented the bulk of the provisions in the memorandum. Only by carrying out its commitments can Athens expect its allies to stand by its side as it tries to achieve its goals.
