Greek PM planning charm offensive aiming to ease primary surplus targets

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is planning a series of trips abroad toward the end of this month and next, hoping to convince Greece's creditors of the recently elected government's commitment to reforms and to lay the groundwork for reducing demanding primary surplus targets agreed under the country's post-bailout agreement.
Mitsotakis will launch his charm offensive in Berlin on August 29, where he will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has staunchly opposed a reduction to the annual target of 3.5 percent of gross domestic product through 2022.
Government spokesman Stelios Petsas on Tuesday said that after Germany, Mitsotakis would travel to The Netherlands for a two-day visit on September 2-3 that will include a meeting with Dutch counterpart and fellow liberal Mark Rutte, regarded by the Greek center-right prime minister as an important potential ally...