Angela Merkel faces hostile reception in Greece The German chancellor was the target of anti-austerity protests outside the Greek parliament last night. Photograph: Aristidis Vafeiadakis/ZUMA Press/Corbis Angela Merkel is heading to Greece today amid extremely high security for her first visit to Athens since the financial crisis began in 2007. Thousands of police are mobilised to protect the German chancellor, who will meet with Antonis Samaras, Greece's prime minister, as well as the country's president today. Large protests are expected, despite the Greek police banning demonstrations in certain parts of the city. It's a flying visit too - Merkel should be in and out of Athens in just six hours. But what message can Merkel bring to a country that has been in recession for the last five years, endured ever-deeper austerity, and whose future in the eurozone remains uncertain? The visit comes as Greece continues to battle with its Troika of lenders over the €13.5bn cuts package demanded in return for its next aid tranche, worth over €31bn. We'll be tracking all the events in Athens, and also bringing you our usual rolling coverage of the eurozone financial crisis, and other key events in the world economy.