Greece’s new government has had to back off from one of its anti-austerity plans for Piraeus, the country’s biggest port.
As well as halting the privatization of two thirds of the port, it wanted to renegotiate a 35-year deal with Chinese shipping firm COSCO to expand the two main container terminals there.
But Economy Minister Giorgos Stathakis admitted to euronews it can’t be done: “We will go on with what has been agreed by the previous government. That is a straightforward statement. We have very close contacts with China, and things will be quite clear and in favour of going on with a number of initiatives that they have started.”
Late last year, the previous prime minister, Antonis Samaras, agreed the expansion deal, which was a conditions of the EU-IMF bailout.
The Chinese state-run company called it an example of “mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation” that would create 3,000 jobs at one of the largest and busiest Mediterranean ports.
Given its major involvem
