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The chairman of the German-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry Martin Knapp undertook to analyze the "war" between the media in Greece and Germany. He began his presentation with the definition of the Greeks contained in a German encyclopedia of 1735. It is not at all flattering, "though hardly the author had the opportunity to meet so many Greeks, so that there is a basis for extracting conclusions. However, the encyclopedia was published in Leipzig, where there was a significant Greek presence at that time, and particularly families of merchants. Maybe the author has had personal dislikes." Just as negative were the perceptions of the Greeks for the Germans, for example, in 1891 when the German king William sent his daughter Sofia in Athens without any dowry and thus gained the wrath of the Athenians, who still remembered the wealth with which two Greek princesses went to Germany. The history of the relations between the two countries shows how the stereotypes were particularly strong in some periods and almost forgotten in others. Another of their occurrence coincides with the beginning of the crisis in Greece.

"As a result of all the negative posts 80% of the Germans believe that their problems are due to the euro, and the Greeks believe accordingly that the company Siemens is to blame for a large part of their problems." He said that the possible cause of the negative stereotypes lies in the poor media, which often takes the form of cheap demagoguery, behind which there are hidden interests. "The German media often state that only the debt crisis in Greece is to blame for the problems, and the Greek ones – that the Greek politicians and Germany are to blame. The results of both campaigns are impressive." Martin Knapp informed that, by contrast, 62% of the Greeks have a favourable opinion of France, the politics of which is not much different from that of Germany. Interesting was his comment about the way Greece itself presents itself. "Several years ago I wrote an article entitled "Zorbas is harmful to Greece." And today I am of the opinion that the figure of a man who presents the stereotype of the leisurely and carefree way of life is no longer attractive. Not even for the tourists who have been impressed previously and wanted to spend at least a few days a year in this way. He said that the Chamber supports research and innovation. "Recently, a company in Athens had developed a technology in the pharmaceutical field. While it was here it was very difficult, even impossible to present its work to the foreign markets. When it decided to move to its French subsidiary the work suddenly advanced. Is not it a pity when such things happen?"

According to the French media correspondent Alexia Kefalas, Frenchmen, unlike Germans have a favourable opinion of Greece, which is largely influenced by antiquity, the idea of ​​democracy, etc. After the crisis, they have been affected by the posts in the English and German press. "All of a sudden there began arriving colleagues to shoot a reportage holding a newspaper in their hands and willing the things to be just like that. I.e. they did not even bother to check whether the things are really like that." At that time, Frenchmen like other Europeans were of the opinion that the Greeks are cheaters who have fabricated their financial performance to enter the Eurozone. "But now we see how it changes. The danger of a second crisis that could seriously affect the whole of Europe makes the Frenchmen think about that the same could happen to them." Alexia Kefalas, however, stressed that the Greek media also draw the attention of their colleagues from abroad, when dealing constantly with their opinion on the developments in the country.

All the present agreed that Greece would be able to "rehabilitate" its reputation only if it implements the necessary reforms and backs them up with content rather than with empty words.