The message that “the more menacing the rhetoric from the East and the more openly the Turkish leadership questions international law and Greek sovereignty, the clearer Berlin’s public rejection of these positions becomes”, and also that Germany is in solidarity on the side of Greece, his ambassador sent Germany in our country Ernst Reichel in his greeting at the reception given by the German Embassy in our country on the occasion of the Day of German Unity.

In fact, he emphasized that at a time when Ukrainians are fighting for their survival as a nation, “we must defend international law with more determination than ever before in all of Europe, because international law is the basis of peace.” Otherwise, as he explained, the enforcement of the law by the militarily stronger at the expense of the weaker ones would prevail.

In more detail, during his greeting, the German Ambassador offered European solidarity in response to Turkey’s threatening rhetoric against Greece, Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine, inflation, climate change and the pandemic, and also expressed confidence that Germany and Greece “even in these turbulent At times they remain close friends and partners and are on a very good, common path.”

In particular, with regard to the “unprecedented war of conquest by Russia in Ukraine”, he expressed particular satisfaction that the international reaction was united and strong, and that Greece also took such a clear and unambiguous position. “This war threatens not only Ukraine, but the security of all of Europe and beyond: because if Russia really wins the war or looks like it is winning, then we cannot rule out aggression elsewhere,” he said.

At this point, he focused on the contribution of Greece and Germany through their cooperation in helping Ukraine, saying that it was not insignificant. “Greece will supply Ukraine with Soviet-style tanks, which will be replaced by German tanks,” he said and expressed gratitude “for cooperation in the spirit of trust in concluding this agreement.”

In addition, he did not fail to mention climate change and the need to move towards a sustainable form of economy. “In this area, Greece and Germany are making joint efforts within the EU. And this is where the results of European solidarity can be seen: it is the EU that has a significant share of the resources to finance major investments. And behind the EU, of course, are its member states, which cooperate with each other and share the burden in solidarity,” he said.

In general, he expressed confidence that “we will get through these turbulent times.” […] Because the crises that I have listed have something in common: as Europeans we meet them together and in a spirit of solidarity, as friends in Europe who believe in and defend common values,” he stressed.

Ernst Reichel highlighted the celebration of the German National Anniversary at the Ellinikon Experience Center and its significance for the future of Athens. “As you all know, today we are not celebrating at our usual place in Chalandri. At the moment, the residence of the embassy has been turned into a construction site. And maybe that’s why it seems strange to you that we chose another construction site as a place. However, this place – and by far the core of the biggest urban development project in Europe right now – is surrounded by the imagination of what it will look like in a year, five or even ten years. This space represents the blueprint for the future of Athens. It also symbolizes the economic growth that we are experiencing and expecting throughout the country, as well as the new sense of self-confidence in Greece. And we are happy about it in Germany,” he said.

He also noted that the fact that Hellinikon is celebrating Germany’s national jubilee “makes me think that Germany, as Greece’s leading foreign investor and trading partner, is playing a not-so-minor role in this positive development.” In this context, he noted that the fact that this progress is taking place in an era of accumulated crises and uncertainties makes it all the more important. At the end of his greeting, the German Ambassador thanked the Greek-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

^{Source: RES-IPE}