ND leader visits Berlin to present plan to exit crisis

New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis - eKathimerini

ekathimerini — Opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis will hold meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble in Berlin on February 13 and 14, aimed at presenting New Democracy’s plan to pull Greece out of the stubborn economic crisis while at the same time galvanizing his own profile as prime minister-in-waiting.

“He is not meeting with the chancellor to say what the government is not doing, but to explain what ND will do [if it comes to power],” a close Mitsotakis aide told Kathimerini on condition of anonymity.

So far, ND has slammed the government for failing to wrap up the second review of the country’s third bailout program. Meanwhile, it has made clear it will not back any additional austerity measures in Parliament.

Kathimerini understands the ND leader will seek to convince Berlin officials that he has a reform-driven, investment-inducing blueprint to replace the administration’s tax-heavy program which is keeping the economy locked in a vicious cycle.

Mitsotakis will also hold meetings with deputies of Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and business leaders.