Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Tasos Chatzivasileiou, said on arrival at the Informal General Affairs Council in Dublin that the Greek government backs an ambitious European budget capable of funding traditional policies such as the Common Agricultural Policy and Cohesion Policy while also addressing the European Union's current challenges.
He added that enlargement of the European Union is a central priority for the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which runs during the second half of 2027.
Budget negotiations for 2028-2034
Chatzivasileiou said the meeting would discuss the ongoing negotiations over the Multiannual Financial Framework, the EU's budget for the 2028-2034 period. He described the talks as being of the highest importance for every member state, since they will determine how EU funding is directed toward specific policies across the bloc.
Enlargement on the agenda
Chatzivasileiou said the council would also examine enlargement, with officials from candidate countries given the chance to set out their progress on reform agendas. He said enlargement has been a top priority for Greece since the Thessaloniki Agenda, the 2003 roadmap that first set out a path toward EU membership for the Western Balkan states.
He noted that Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis has said enlargement will be a key priority of the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the second half of 2027.
Meeting with Moldova's deputy PM
On the sidelines of the informal council, Chatzivasileiou met on Thursday, September 3, with Moldova's Deputy Prime Minister, Cristina Gherasimov. Afterwards, he said Greece supports Moldova's accession efforts and its European orientation.
Talks with Germany
The Deputy Foreign Minister also held a bilateral meeting with his German counterpart, Gunther Krichbaum, covering the progress of negotiations on the new Multiannual Financial Framework and the priorities of the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2027.
