by Maria Spiliopoulou
ATHENS, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras inaugurated on Saturday the 81st Thessaloniki International Trade Fair (TIF) in the northern Greece city, heralding the ailing economy's return to growth.
"The next year will be crucial to overcome the crisis. I believe the circle of recession and stagnancy is closing and we are entering a circle of economic rebound," the Greek leader said shortly before cutting the ribbon in front of the Russian pavilion at Greece's largest annual trade fair, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.
The Greek leader also proposed that a parallel political and economic forum will be held in the future in the framework of the fair, according to AMNA.
The 81st TIF is the largest on terms of participants, with 1,015 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions. Russia is the country of honor this year. Some 200,000 people are expected to visit TIF until the closing day on Sept. 18.
Tsipras was scheduled to deliver a keynote speech later Saturday on his government's efforts to bring fair growth to the debt-laden country.
Approximately 5,000 police officers have been deployed across Thessaloniki to keep order as thousands of demonstrators were expected to hit the streets.
