ATHENS – President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou sent a message highlighting the need for responsibility and a willingness to cooperate during her meeting with main opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras at the presidential mansion on Friday. She noted that all sides shared the same goal, which was the progress and prosperity of the Greek people and the preservation of social cohesion in order to face the crisis.

This was Sakellaropoulou's first meeting with the main opposition leader since she assumed office in March and focused on the repercussions of the pandemic on the economy and society.

Sakellaropoulou praised the responsible stance adopted by Greek citizens, as well as by the opposition parties, in the last three months, pointing out that Greece now faced new challenges on an economic and social level.

She also expressed her understanding for the different political views on how this unprecedented crisis should be dealt with, adding that different views were the very essence of democracy.

On his part, Tsipras expressed his fears that a very complex environment will arise with respect to labour relations and individual freedoms, adding that the economy's problems will be bigger than currently estimated because the recession will be deep.

He called the government's measures for the support of enterprises insufficient and delayed, while he expressed fears that in labour relations there was the risk that certain emergency conditions will become peramanent.

Addressing the president, Tsipras said that he looks forward to substantive cooperation between them, even though he is aware that the president's role and powers do not permit intervention in the actions of the executive branch, since merely the highlighting of critical concerns that aims to alleviate the problems and inequalities is very crucial.

"We look forward to such a presence during your term in office," he added.