Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-06-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] Reforms a national issue, Premier Karamanlis says at EBEA event

[01] Reforms a national issue, Premier Karamanlis says at EBEA event

Karamanlis also underlined once again the importance of creative dialogue for the achievement of the government's reformist policy.

The EBEA gave awards for the 12th consecutive year to a group of able businessmen and firms who displayed remarkable business activity during the past year. The ceremony for the "Business Awards 2007" took place during an event held at the Athens Concert Hall-Megaron.

Karamanlis stressed that reforms are a process which is proceeding with the support of the "social alliance of changes."

The prime minister added that "during the three years that we have had the responsibility of governance we have been exercising a responsible policy with the double aim of sustainable fiscal adjustment and sustainable strong development. We are restructuring public finances and we are creating new development tools."

He also stressed that the goverment's top priority is continuing and speeding up reforms for the further improvement of the economy's competitiveness and the further decrease in unemployment, for new opportunities in entrepreneurship and, lastly, to upgrade the citizens' standard of living.

Karamanlis further said that the National Strategic Framework for the new 2007-2013 programming period places particular emphasis on strengthening entrepreneurship, competitiveness, research and innovation, as well as on investing in human capital.

Addressing the same event, Finance and Economy Minister George Alogoskoufis appealed to businesses to follow an "aggressive" step to achieve their development and stressed that the government's policy is helping firms in this direction with the implementation of the goals it has set.

The minister also reiterated the government's position that it is not remaining complaisant as regards the target of unemployment to enable social cohesion to improve.

He further said that Greece is leaving behind the "state-focused model that accumulated deficits for the economy and debts for the generations to come. We are decreasing the state's participation in the GDP. From 48 percent in 2004 to 44.4 percent in 2006 and to 43.9 percent this year."

Announcing the names of those receiving the awards, EBEA President Constantine Mihalos said that a great deal has been done for the business climate in past years but, as he said, "there is still a great deal to be done to enable positive trends to be stabilised and strengthened."

Primarily, a rational, just and viable Social Insurance System, opening secluded markets and secluded professions, increasing investments in research and innovation, adopting new technologies and a reliable educational system, improving Public Administration and cracking down on bureaucracy, the multiplicity of laws, partisanship and the poor quality of services.

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