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Greek president inaugurates Thessaloniki Int'l Fair ahead of snap polls

Xinhua, September 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos inaugurated the 80th Thessaloniki International Trade Fair (TIF) at the northern city port on Friday, as the country heads to early polls on Sept. 20, highlighting Greece's need to keep its European course.

"The present and future of the International Fair demonstrate and suggest, under the critical circumstances we have, what path our country and our nation should follow. That is no other but our European path, in the hard core of the European Nation and the Eurozone", he said in a keynote speech during the opening ceremony of the ten-day annual fair at Thessaloniki's conference center.

In addition, due to the unprecedented explosion of migrants' influx in Greek borders and islands, the Greek president stressed the essential collaboration of European nations to address the refugee crisis under terms that will secure the safety and the respect of human rights.

"Could Greece deal with this serious problem of safety, humanity and social justice by itself, if the country was out of the European Nation?" Pavlopoulos said.

In previous years, prime ministers traditionally announce the government's economic policies of the coming months from the podium of the annual fair.

This year caretaker Prime Minister Vassiliki Thanou made one key promise: her government will secure that the early national elections will run spotlessly.

"Moreover, our government has the duty to respect its European commitments and handle the critical issue of migrants and refugees," Thanou said during a speech at the conference center.

During the fair, which will run until Sept. 13, political leaders will announce their campaign programs as part of their election campaigns.

Radical Left Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras will visit TIF on Sept. 6 to present the party's program, while main opposition leader Vangelis Meimarakis will attend on Sept. 12-13 when he will present the program of New Democracy.

In parallel, public union sector ADEDY is planning a rally in central Thessaloniki on Saturday demanding the cancellation of Greece's bailout agreement with international lenders. Endit