Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-03-09

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Greek FinMin meets with foreign investors in London

[02] Greek economy not in crisis, Bank of Greece governor says

[03] No EU funds lost from Information Society programme

[04] Strong Greek participation in MIPIM real estate fair in Cannes

[01] Greek FinMin meets with foreign investors in London

Speaking to reporters in London after a series of meetings with Bank of England governor Mervyn King and foreign institutional investors, the Greek minister said he presented the government's economic policy after the Olympic Games, a policy aimed to boost the country's competitiveness and to emphasize outgoing policies.

"Foreign investors' interest is also showed in the Greek stock market and in the government's privatisation programme," Alogoskoufis said.

The Greek FinMin presented to foreign investors the government's privatisation programme in the next six months and polices to reduce the country's fiscal deficit.

"I believe there is very good climate abroad around the Greek economy, and that the government's policy, as it unfolds in coming months and years, will greatly strengthen existing confidence in the Greek economy," he added.

[02] Greek economy not in crisis, Bank of Greece governor says

Presenting the bank's annual report on monetary policy to an Economic Affairs Committee in Parliament, the central banker said "an ECOFIN decision stresses that after 2006 the country's fiscal deficit should continue to fall. I say move faster, if possible".

Garganas said inflation was moving within a five-year range, while GDP growth was expected to slowdown to 3.3 percent this year, down from a budget projection of a 3.9 percent growth rate.

"This slowdown began in the second half of 2003 and continues today, without excluding a bigger fall," he noted.

Garganas, however, stressed that GDP growth was higher than the Eurozone average growth rate and underlined that Greek convergence was progressing. He attributed Greece's high growth rates in previous years to lower interest rates in the country "due to Greece's entry in the Eurozone" and to Olympic projects.

[03] No EU funds lost from Information Society programme

The secretary general for the information society, V Asimakopoulos, called for further acceleration in the programme's implementation as requirements for the absorption of public spending in 2005 had doubled from a year earlier.

In addition, the EU Commission accepted a plan submitted by the secretariat, which belongs to the finance ministry, on monitoring information technology projects, Asimakopoulos added.

[04] Strong Greek participation in MIPIM real estate fair in Cannes

Greek exhibitors include the Culture ministry, Environment, Town Planning and Public Works ministry, Hellenic Investment Centre, Olympic Real Estate Enterprise SA, Public Sector's Real Estate Enterprise, etc.

Foreign investors shown increased interest for the Greek exhibitors' pavillions because of a government programme to make a more efficient use of Olympic sports and infrastructure facilities, currently underway.

Culture Alternate Minister Fani Palli-Petralia, in Cannes for the MIPIM fair, said the project with Olympic sports facilities was more difficult than the organising of the Olympic Games. Mrs Petralia emphasized on the final goal, which is improving living quality for citizens in the wider Athens area.

Real estate prices in Europe are currently in record high levels but are expected to fall when interest rates start rising, a report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers said.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article