Prime Minister Antonis Samaras met with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin yesterday (23.09) for talks on the progress of the Greek programme during a working luncheon, which was followed by a joint press briefing.

Greece is ready to stand on its own feet, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras told reporters after his meeting with Merkel, and set out how Athens could exit its adjustment plan at the end of the year, foregoing the remaining loans from the International Monetary Fund. The European involvement in Greece’s programme is due to end in December, but the IMF still has more than €15 billion of loans to disburse to Athens. Samaras said his government is now in a position to turn down these installments and end the monitoring of the Greek economy.

On her part, Merkel said that there are "positive signs and indications that Greece will soon be able to pass the threshold into growth.” Greece had just had a very good tourism season, Merkel said, and also referred to Germany's contribution to the efforts on a bilateral level, such as an agreement of intent for a Greek-German Foundation for Youth or initiatives to provide loans for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). She particularly stressed the importance of giving SMEs access to loans in order to boost growth.