NEW : President Merkel says growth and jobs are needed to give the Greek people hope . `` We welcome a friend here the next two years , '' Papoulias says of the Greek leader . Police say 25,000 people joined a protest voicing anger over Angela Merkel 's visit . Merkel noted that Greece was going through a `` very difficult phase '' in which many people were suffering , but she insisted the debt-stricken nation had made progress in reducing its deficit and passing reforms . ` Critics see Angela Merkel 's as the main enforcer of internationally imposed austerity measures .
NEW : President Merkel says growth and jobs are needed to give the Greek people hope . `` We welcome a friend here the next two years , '' Papoulias says of the Greek leader . Police say 25,000 people joined a protest voicing anger over Angela Merkel 's visit . Critics see Angela Merkel 's as the main enforcer of internationally imposed austerity measures .