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Former Minister of Finance of France Pierre Moscovici was received today in Athens by Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. During the meeting, they discussed the state of the Greek economy and the open question concerning the rescheduling of the excessive national debt.

Samaras presented to Moscovici all priorities of his Cabinet on the future of Greece's economy, as well as proposals for actions that he believes will lead to economic growth.

France’s former Minister of Finance is one of the main contenders for the post of Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs in the new European Commission. Sources claim that Athens supports his nomination for the post, which was occupied by Olli Rehn until recently.

Greece continues to lobby in favour of the nomination of its representative in the European Commission Dimitris Avramopoulos for the post of Commissioner for Migration. Analysts however believe that the portfolio will hardly be entrusted to him, relying on sources in Brussels who state that "it cannot be entrusted to the country where the problem arises."

Meanwhile, former Greek Commissioner Maria Damanaki organized in Athens her last press conference in office, along with Minister of Fisheries of the Faroe Islands Jacob Vestergaard.

The topic of the press conference was the signing of an agreement on fishing in the North Atlantic and the abolition of the trade embargo, which was imposed on the islands last August. In particular, the European Union had imposed an embargo on the imports of mackerel and herring caught in the territorial waters of the Faroe Islands or by vessels sailing under their flag. Brussels said that the fishermen there were fishing too many fish thus destroying the stocks of Atlantic-Scandinavian herring and mackerel.

However, even after her term ends, Damanaki will continue to work in the same field, as it is already clear that after Brussels she will leave for London where she will head the international institute for the sea and marine species.