Kyriakos Pierrakakis’ debut as president of the Eurogroup was met with positive comments at the European level and in Athens, during a period of heightened geopolitical challenges. European Stability Mechanism (ESM) chief Pierre Gramegna, speaking at the press conference after the Brussels meeting, congratulated the new Eurogroup president on his first appointment at headquarters, noting that he “presided with mastery,” with “productive and constructive discussion” and that he “set a very positive tone” for his tenure.
The positive image was conveyed today in Greece as well, as during today’s presentation of the government’s annual report and plan for 2026, Pierrakakis’ first Eurogroup presidency was cited as a milestone event that ranks among the achievements claimed by the government. The message being sent abroad is that the country can now be at the forefront of European decisions, overcoming agenda obstacles even when they are demanding.
More specifically, speaking about the “40 top achievements within 2025,” Akis Skertsos included Pierrakakis’ election to the Eurogroup, demonstrating how highly the government values this particular event as a success.
Pierrakakis: First impressions from the Eurogroup presidency
Just hours after Trump’s threats of tariffs on European countries that oppose Greenland’s annexation to the US, Kyriakos Pierrakakis spoke to EU finance ministers about unity and dialogue, setting priorities such as the Investment Union, Single Market Completion, strengthening fiscal foundations, and the digital euro. He also referred to the need for concrete and measurable results, within a short timeframe.
Additionally, despite the fact that relations with the US were not officially on the agenda, on the sidelines of the Eurogroup, the Greek finance minister sent a clear message that “territorial integrity and sovereignty constitute fundamental principles of international law, critical for Europe and the international community as a whole.” He warned of a downward spiral from tariff imposition that would endanger transatlantic relations, sending a message of unity for Europe.
In his statements before the start of the first Eurogroup meeting, Kyriakos Pierrakakis sent the following messages: “We are all eager for the first meeting I will chair, in my new capacity as Eurogroup president. With respect to foreign policy priorities, I will begin by repeating what I said last December that we have a common line, unanimity regarding policy priorities. The Savings and Investment Union, single market completion, strengthening the Union’s fiscal institutions, the digital euro. We will be judged on tangible results and we will need to be flexible and fast. We will need to give our strategy a synonym for delivery, and I absolutely believe that together with my colleagues in the Eurogroup we can collectively achieve this, see the result of this Eurogroup program with a sense of respect, but also with a sense of urgency.”
“Today we welcome Bulgaria as a full member of the Eurogroup for the first time since it became a member on January 1st. This is proof of the collective strength of the euro community. We will have the opportunity to be briefed by Bulgaria’s finance minister on this transition and what is happening,” he added at another point.
