Obama calls for less harsh austerity in Greece

FXstreet.com (Barcelona) - US President Barack Obama, who hosted the Greek PM Antonis Samaras in Washington on Thursday, expressed his support for Greece and said that austerity is not the only path to economic recovery for the country.

“It's important that we have a plan for fiscal consolidation to manage the debt, but it's also important that growth and jobs are a focus,” Obama emphasized.

The US President praised Greece´s efforts in implementing reforms so far and offered support in the future, as "the stakes are high for not only Greece but also Europe and the world economy."

Antonis Samaras stressed the fact that the Greek people, recently hit also by massive layoffs in the public sector, have made a lot of sacrifices but that they would not be wasted.