From a visit to a shrinking Icelandic glacier on Friday, French Presidnet Francois Hollande is arriving in Greece at 4.50 p.m. on Thursday afternoon to tend to the diminishing Greek GDP. Government hopes are pinned on his two-day visit during which he is expected to vouch for the country and express his support for the reform drive as well as show interest in Greek investments.

The agenda of the visit is focused on upgrading Greek-French relations in key areas, and for this reason, the French president is accompanied by a delegation of 70 French businessmen. There are high hopes that Hollande will make positive statements that may spur a discussion about debt relief.

Goals of Hollande’s visit:

– To enlighten Greece with French expertise in the sectors of public administration, taxation and reforms.

– To strengthen bilateral financial ties and increase trade.

– To foster investment cooperation in sectors such as new technology, the digital economy, infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, processing of agricultural products, etc.

– To cooperate in the areas of education and culture e.g. promoting each other’s languages in the respective national education systems and cooperation in research

The two sides will also focus on the refugee crisis that is expected to be mentioned in the joint declaration to be made by Tsipras and Hollande.

The French President will be staying at a hotel in the city center and Draconian security measures are being taken to ensure his safety. He is due to address Greek Parliament on Wednesday and also be awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Athens.

Hollande is the official guest of Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, however Government spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili described the visit as one of “high political symbolism.” For this reason, he will be awarded high honors.