election semester, when all polls indicate that the
public opinion is intensely Eurosceptic, in the run-
up to May’s Euro-elections. With European Union
officials, and others, warning that a new
European narrative is needed, the Greek presi-
dency will try to put the issue to debate, through
its basic motto: “Europe: Our Common Quest”.
This is the reason why the prevalent feature of the
presidency’s logo is a ship. The sailing boat
–against a backdrop of Greek-sea blue– is an
effort to symbolize Europe’s journey and quest.
F
or Greece, it sends the first signals of an
exit from the crisis. The beginning of
Greece’s recovery, though, is not devoid
of symbolism for Europe. The presidency is held
by the country that became the laboratory of the
crisis, the euro zone member that has suffered its
most dramatic consequences. If the Greek case
was a test of the strength and prospects of the
very European venture, then Greece’s exit from
the crisis is a European success.
The Greek presidency, though, begins in a pre-
Trade with Greece
50
By Aristotelia Peloni
Europe,
Our Common Quest
A European presidency with a Greek seal and
identity. This is the phrase that encapsulates the
philosophy of the Greek presidency. After all, the
first half of 2014 is important for both Athens and
Brussels, for common, as well as different, reasons.
