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Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-06-01
CONTENTS
[01] FinMin outlines achievements at IIF meeting
[01] FinMin outlines achievements at IIF meeting
The positive picture presented by the Greek economy and the
achievements of the last three years were presented by national economy
and finance minister George Alogoskoufis on Friday, addressing the 2007
Spring Membership Meeting of the Institute of International Finance
(IIF), the global association of financial institutions, taking place
in Athens with the attendance of more than 500 leading financiers and
economic policymakers from around the world.
Alogoskoufis placed emphasis on the Greek economy's strong growth rate,
which reached 4.6 percent in the first quarter of 2007, stressing the
importance of the fact that it was no longer fuelled chiefly by the
public sector, but also by the private sector, exports, which he said
were noting a strong growth, and investments.
The minister further noted the significant reduction in the country's
fiscal deficit, which fell to below 2.6 percentage points of GDP in
2006, while a new decline was anticipated this year, and also
highlighted the substantial reduction in unemployment to below 9
percent in 2006.
Alogoskoufis also outlined the positive results of the reforms that
have been introduced, stressing that "we are halfway down the road, not
at the end of it", and noting that there were still steps to be made so
as to further boost entrepreneurship and strengthen the extroversion of
the Greek economy.
Speaking specifically on the extroversion of the economy, he stressed
Greece's role in the wider region of Southeastern Europe, a region
which, he noted, had the prospects to become Europe's next economic
miracle. Alogoskoufis said that Greek business' investments in the
region currently exceeded 15 billion euro, while the Greek banks were
also playing a significant role in the area, with a network that
exceeded 2,300 branches.
Replying to a question, Alogoskoufis anticipated that the strong growth
rate of the Greek economy would continue over the coming years, due to
the positive developmental prospects of the wider region of SE Europe,
and the course of the euro-zone in general.
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