At his first EU summit, Sipilä said Greece fared better last year than Finland in terms of fiscal balance. Greece’s primary budgetary balance, after debts and expenses, ended last year in the black, while the corresponding figures in Finland dipped a couple of per cent into the red.
Greece’s previous government adjusted its public finances with a heavy hand, because of creditors’ requirements. Greece’s new government is trying to dissociate itself from additional cuts required by its creditors.
Sipilä is participating in a two-day annual meeting with EU and Latin American countries. At the meeting, attention has been directed towards the Greek loan negotiations, which have stalled.
In the meeting Sipilä sat next to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
