Russian-Greek Economic Ties Likely to Enter Era of Prosperity – Official

Despite the mutually harmful sanctions war, the economic relations between Moscow and Greece may enter a new stage of prosperity, the Greek parliament speaker told Sputnik.

ATHENS (Sputnik) – European anti-Russia sanctions and country’s retaliatory measures have seriously harmed the economic relations between Moscow and Athens, but they may enter a new stage of prosperity, Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament Nikolaos Voutsis told Sputnik Monday.

"The EU sanctions and Russian embargo on agricultural products, introduced in response, have inflicted significant damage … the economic ties between the two states [Russia and Greece] may enter a new period of prosperity," Voutsis said, adding that core of this relations can be the tourism industry, if all the necessary measures are taken to get rid of all obstacles in cooperation development.

Voutsis noted, that the Greek government was concerned with the issue of lifting embargo from various categories of goods "within the framework of the general deescalation of sanctions and retaliatory measures."

Since 2014, relations between Russia and the European Union deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. Brussels, Washington and their allies have introduced several rounds of anti-Russia sanctions since Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 over Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.

The year 2016 is the Russia-Greece cross-cultural year, as it marks the 1,000-year anniversary since the first Russian settlement on the Holy Mount Athos in Greece. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Greece in late May to discuss bilateral trade-economic and investment cooperation, among other issues.