ATHENS, Greece (AP) – France’s president has called for greater European investment in Greece to help offset the cash-strapped country’s increasing reliance on non-European countries, notably China.
Addressing a round-table of Greek and French business leaders on Friday, Emmanuel Macron said Greece was “forced” to choose non-European investors “because the Europeans were not there.”
That, he added, showed that “the Europeans have no faith in Europe.”
Macron is on a two-day visit to Greece. On Thursday, he met Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and presented his vision for Europe in a speech at the site of the ancient Athenian assembly, seen as an enduring icon of democracy worldwide.
Later Friday, he is due to visit French cultural institutions in Athens.