ATHENS
Greece took over the European Union (EU) presidency for the next six months on Wednesday in a ceremony attended by European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso and other high-level EU commissioners amid hopes of recovery from the harsh 2009 debt crisis.
Greece assumed the presidency for the fifth time, succeeding Lithuania.
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said his government was determined to fight unemployment, revive the economy and improve social cohesion while safeguarding the Euro as "Greece can stand on its own feet."
"Greece is leaving the crisis with Europe behind following huge sacrifices," he added.
Describing Greece as a experienced pilot, Barroso cited his belief that Greece will overcome the recession in 2014.
"Many believed that Greece would exit the Eurozone, but the fact that we are here today is clear evidence that those predictions were wrong," Barroso said after expressing the EU's support of Greece.
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