Samaras: We will follow the example of Ireland

"The Irish prime minister and his country show us that they have entered into recovery and will soon return to the markets. We will follow exactly the same pattern for a successful exit from the crisis, but also for the EU presidency," the Greek premier said in joint statements with his Irish counterpart Enda Kenny, after their meeting at Maximos Mansion.

Samaras added that "Ireland had done decades ago the major selection of competitiveness and extroversion, which had led it to high growth rates."

And it was these two things that helped it emerge from the crisis, he said about the model of Ireland with low taxation, and noted that Greece will follow the same model after entering a development course.

According to Samaras, one of the biggest problems for Greece is the vast unemployment and the negative psychology, however, "we have turned the page and we are now in a new chapter," something "that is not just a victory for Greece but for the whole of Europe."

Kenny’s praise for Samaras

"Since the election, the prime minister has changed the foreigners’ perception of Greece," the Irish premier said about Samaras. "In the European Council Samaras was the voice of realism," Enda Kenny added.