Prime Minister Antonis Samaras focused on issues of the European Union’s energy policy and ways of dealing with illegal migration, in his interventions at the two-day EU summit meeting that opened at Ypres on Thursday and will continue in Brussels on Friday.

On Thursday, European leaders met at Ypres to commemorate the bloody 1917 World War I battle named after the city. On Friday in Brussels they are expected to discuss who will be the next European Commission president.

According to diplomatic sources, Samaras noted the need to differentiate and guarantee the energy sources and transportation routes in Europe, and ensure that energy is provided under price rates beneficial to for both businesses and consumers.

During his interview to Handelsblatt he said that he is in favour of maintaining the basic structures of the Stability Pact showing that his view is in accordance to the German position.

The government believes that if the recommendation of Italy is adopted, this will apply to all countries and therefore Greece will not receive any criticism that it tries to find ways so as not to implement the agreed.

This was also highlighted by the German Finance Minister Schaeuble last week. A government official said that there can be no tolerance for countries which show deficits while Greece has to to achieve a 4% surplus every year.

Also, the Greek prime minister appeared optimistic about the election of Jean Claude Juncker as president of European Commission.

In terms of how to deal with illegal migration, which he termed an urgent issue, Samaras said the current situation was a Europe-wide problem, especially in terms of the EU’s external borders, while he stressed the necessity of the implementation of agreements the EU has made with third-party countries.