Greek president to Germany's Merkel: Greece often felt alone

Greece’s often-strained relations in past years with European economic powerhouse Germany have taken center stage in a meeting in Athens between outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Greece’s president

ATHENS, Greece -- Greece’s often-strained relations in past years with European economic powerhouse Germany took center stage in a meeting in Athens Friday between outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Greece’s president.

Katerina Sakellaropoulou was Merkel’s first official meeting during her visit to the country whose financial crisis marked much of her 16-year tenure and Germany’s relationship with Europe.

“There were times of difficulty and tension,” Sakellaropoulou told Merkel, referring to their two countries’ relations. “The financial crisis that many countries of Europe faced put mainly Greece, which was called on to pay a heavy price, in a difficult position. It was an unprecedented situation ... and Greece felt — we justifiably often felt alone.”

Greece’s decade-long financial crisis, which began in late 2019, saw a quarter of the country’s economy wiped out and Greece almost crashing out of the euro, the joint currency used by many European Union members.