‘The Greek economy with a lever banks It can work at two levels at the same time: it can be strengthened at the level of small and medium -sized entrepreneurship, at the family and neighborhood level. And at the same time he can give birth to national champions again, “the finance minister said Kyriakos Pierrakakis.
“This bet is not only economical. It is moral and national. It is not only related to social cohesion in every city and region of the country. It is also related to the full reversal of Brain Drain to Brain Gain, “Kyriakos Pierrakakis explained from the step of the annual regular general meeting of the Hellenic Bank Association.
Banks to recover the role they had pre -crisis
Referring to the need to recover the role that the country’s banking sector had before the crisis, the minister pointed out that “the banking system must overcome its suspensions and exceed itself. With banks in the vanguard of the economy we must give the slogan for a Greece that also dares to transcend itself, ”she said, even if a reservation is reasonable after such a crisis.
“Banks may again go on solid ground, but we cannot overlook that society has complaints,” the minister said. As he said, “there are professionals, businessmen, ordinary citizens who feel that the banking presence in their daily lives are not what they would like and sometimes characterize it distant, impersonal or even insufficient.”
The minister referred to the important role of Greek banks before the crisis and stressed that the Greek economy, the prosperity of citizens and the development of banks are historically in line.
“We all remember the strong and expanded role of banks in financing state and private investment, not only in Greece but also in a number of neighboring countries. Banks also displayed a tangible care to finance the investment plans of small and medium -sized enterprises. Banks’ cumulative activity at that time was a decisive growth lever, not only for the economy but also for the banks themselves. At that time of the rise, banks acquired new assets (assets) later used to deal with the crisis more effectively, “said Pierrakakis.
To get back the thread to go even further
At this point, Mr. Pierrakakis added: “That’s why the Greek banks are standing firmly on their feet again, is the time to re -catch the thread, the good side of this thread, not just to get to where we were before the crisis, because we would have been a good time, but we would have been a good thing. To move confidently, with new dynamics, with a new vision of a course of convergence of the Greek economy with the average Eurozone, where we have not yet conquered, in investment, in growth and, of course, in income. “
For developments in the Middle East
Commenting on developments in the Middle East, the Minister of National Economy and Finance said: “We are here today at a very critical time. The escalation in the Middle East creates a multi -risk backdrop for the international economy and threatens global stability. Soberness, responsibility and insight is required. Diplomacy should be given time and time to avoid the difficult consequences of a wider conflict. “
The resilience of Greek banks embankment in implementing an unfavorable scenario
The possible rejuvenation of commercial tensions could be accompanied by a slowdown in the growth rate of the global economy, and this is indirectly felt to a different degree almost to the entire eurozone, the Minister said, but stressed that the resilience of Greek banks and the resilience of Greek bank Scenario coming from the above exogenous factors. “
Not to play defense but attack
In this context, Mr Pierrakakis concluded “Our strategy should not only be limited to the dangers. We should not only play defense. Even in the most difficult times we must have the “germ” of the attack in our blood. Next to the awareness of the dangers we must be aware of the opportunities. “