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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-02-18
CONTENTS
[01] Bank share price decline not entirely Greek phenomenon, Sallas says
[02] ND leader meets Merkel, presents party's refugee policy
[01] Bank share price decline not entirely Greek phenomenon, Sallas says
A fall in Greek bank share prices is not entirely a Greek phenomenon,
Mihalis Sallas, chairman of Piraeus Bank said in an interview with
German newspaper Handelsblatt on Thursday.
The Greek banker, replying to a question on the causes of a drop in Greek
bank share prices after their recapitalization, said: "The environment of
the whole market must be taken into view. Markets are monitoring monetary
policy more cautiously now. Big market indexes such as Dow Jones and Dax
are recording losses this year, a trend that has affected all banks, it
is not entirely a Greek phenomenon. Our job is to consistently execute
our work, improving our weak spots and implementing a long-term strategy".
Commenting on this long-term strategy, Sallas said it should focus
on further cutting expenses, closely monitoring earnings sources and
focusing on the Greek market to establish our power. "However, we wish to
address, being stronger now, to foreign enterprises investing in Greece,"
Sallas said, adding that "we are recording satisfactory progress in the
restructuring of our non-performing loans".
Sallas said that Piraeus Bank, with a 19.6 pct basic capital rate, was
at a good position for the present and commenting on the NPLs problem,
said that Piraeus Bank has already set up its own NPLs settlement unit
which has great success in its work so far. The Greek banker said that
Germany has done a great lot for Greece during the crisis. "It has
funded the biggest part of bailout programmes. We cooperate closely
with several German companies, such as Fraport, Lidl, Hochtief, Tui and
Beiersdorf, to mention a few. If I could express a wish, it would be:
Invest in Greece! Despite critics, Greece offers good opportunities for
enterprises," Sallas said.
[02] ND leader meets Merkel, presents party's refugee policy
BRUSSELS (ANA-MPA/ S. Goutzani) – The refugee crisis and Greece's
domestic developments were the main issues discussed in the first
meeting between New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis and German
Chancellor Angela Markel on the sidelines of a meeting of the European
Popular Party.
Mitsotakis discussed with Merkel his view on the refugee crisis, with the
German Chancellor noting she agrees with the Greek stance that borders
must not close. An associate of Mitsotakis said that the two countries'
interests on the refugee crisis converge.
During the EPP meeting, the leader of ND clashed verbally with Austrian
Vice Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner who insisted that the only way to
halt refugee flows is to close Greece's northern borders. Mitsotakis
responded that this is not a solution in any way, noting that if
these borders close, refugees will simply find a new route into
Europe. "Greece's borders are European borders. You cannot transfer
Europe's borderline – which is now at the Aegean – to FYROM," he
said at the meeting.
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