Starting with the new year, Greece assumed the EU Presidency for the next six months. In charge of the EU’s daily agenda, Greece will jointly decide policy directions and legislations with the European Parliament. Still in serious economic crisis and unemployment at its highest level, Greece takes charge of the European Union after its continued membership appeared far from assured a year ago. Konstantinos Karagkounis, a member of the Greek Parliament, said the Greek Presidency will “have to deal with a very difficult situation, (…) huge problems and great challenges”.
Greek antipathy towards Germany and especially its hostility towards the European Union are two key aspects that might mark its stewardship of the now 28-member European Union. Greece will face crucial political decisions that have to be taken at European and domestic level. Emergency loan arrangements with the EU and the International Monetary Fund are set to expire in April and then Greece will need another bailout package, which is likely to mean even more austerity measures.
Greece is hundreds of billions of euros in debt and, as Karagkounis described, living a "humanitarian catastrophe”. Greece's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Evangelos Venizelos has already said this is an opportunity “to show that a country that is in an adjustment programme is a normal country" and “it's a chance for Greece to prove that it is a normal European country". Prime Minister Antonio Samara’s conservative-led coalition also stressed that the six-months post will open the opportunity to send a clear message that Greece is both on the mend and taking its European credentials seriously.
Athens will prioritize economic growth, immigration policy and youth unemployment, from which it suffers more than any other EU state. It plans to focus on passing the proposals for a banking union and amending the data protection act, as well as on refugee policy and the policy of particular importance to its own interests - growth. A major summit with African heads of state is also scheduled to take place during the Greek presidency. At the same time, Greece will have to manage the upcoming European elections, as well as the election campaign that will prove decisive for the Greek presidency.
Euroskepticism is another obstacle that might pose problems since Europeans had started to lose faith in Europe's core values such as democratic governance, economic and social cohesion and solidarity. Greece will thus have to “make a meaningful contribution to the public debate regarding Europe's future", as Greece’s presidency deputy EU representative Andreas Papastavros highlighted.
In sharp contrast to other EU countries, Greece has kept pre-presidency refurbishments to a minimum: apart from replacing the shattered marble in Syntagma square almost nothing has been done to adorn Athens and for many this might represent a sign of times.