German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Athens on Tuesday wearing apparently the same lime green jacket in which she celebrated Germany's defeat of Greece in the 2012 European Football Championship.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) on October 9, 2012 before a meeting in Athens. Merkel is on her first visit to Greece since the debt crisis erupted almost three years ago. German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) celebrates after Germany beats Greece in the Euro 2012 football championships quarter-final match Germany vs Greece on June 22, 2012.
Was Merkel's choice a deliberate reference to Germany's dominance, both in sports and economics, or simply a sign that she really likes the jacket?
Hard to say. But her choice of wardrobe would seem to be a diplomatic faux pas. Her visit already provoked fury from Greeks who blame Germany for the Troika’s (the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund) insistence on steep austerity cuts as a condition of Greece's bailout.
Seven thousand police officers, plus rooftop snipers and commandos, were deployed to protectMerkel for her six-hour visit, during which she is meeting with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. Her arrival was greeted by protesters in Nazi costumes, banners stating “Merkel not welcome”. Rioters throwing rocks at the police were tear gassed.
The Greece versus Germany match in June was touted as the “ultimate grudge match” in the UEFA European Football Championship. Germany beat Greece by four goals to two.
— By CNBC.com'sKaty Barnato
