Answers are given by the Greek Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) In today’s (18.9.2025) announcement commenting on a recent article by Tasos Giannitsis entitled “Suspicions of Greek Statistics in Out of 2025 – Questions about the National Accounts and the True course of our Economy” in the newspaper Ta Nea.
ELSTAT notes that the publication is making noise with incorrect elements on the basis of untrue assumptions and that it ignores the European framework, the cycle of estimates, the role of stocks and quality controls.
ELSTAT applies single, binding methods, transmits and publishes data following ratification, and is systematically controlled in depth, as is the case for all Member States. The public debate on the economy is essential and useful when based on data. Not in irrevocable suspicions, implications and conspiracy.
This is mentioned, inter alia, by ELSTAT in a statement- a response to the article by former Minister Tasos Giannitsis in the newspaper “Ta Nea” on September 13, entitled “Suspicions of Greek Statistics in 2025- questions about the national accounts and the actual course of our economy”.
ELSTAT analyzes how the GDP is calculating, based on Eurostat and international rules.
In detail its announcement:
The first assessment of GDP 2024 was published on March 7, 2025 and, like all the previous ones, has been validated by Eurostat. It is an initial assessment and is based on the sum of quarterly results. The definitive assessment is scheduled to be published on October 16, 2025.
The production of GDP uses the best sources of production and expenditure. ELSTAT follows international practice and applies the Eurostat and OECD manuals.
For the preparation of Greece’s quarterly GDP users can also refer to “QNA Inventory Based on ESA 2010 Methodology”, posted on ELSTAT Portal, which describes the production methodology in detail. The time -stricken are available to anyone interested on the ELSTAT website and any serious analyst can check and reproduce the data, documented on the methodology applied.
The coincidence of GDP size with the two methods of production and expense could only be observed at an ideal theoretical level, as it presupposes the timing and completeness of the respective sources.
Tasos Giannitsis has served as minister in times where Greece’s GDP was trained in the same European context of principles and methods and did not have the level of recognition it has today. It is, therefore, at least strange to challenge the institutional architecture of national accounts for the first time in the year 2025, that is, at a time when for the first time Greece has not a single reservation in its GDP elements and the external recognition of its prestige by its peers in the European Union and is internationally.
Even more strange is the fact that he has chosen to comment on such a serious technical issue with a clear lack of clear knowledge of the system, sources and the cycle of estimates, without even asking ELSTAT’s question about clarifications before publishing the article. Criticism is welcome and is a means of improvement, but the criticism of the criticism is based on true technical assumptions. Otherwise it is either a mistake due to ignorance, or deliberate attempt to defame.
Finally, the fact that in the year 2025, fifteen years after its establishment, ELSTAT’s greek statistics production theories of conspiracy to produce it is at best sad. The personal category in each of the people of ELSTAT who work to produce GDP and their stigmatization would be indifferent as yet another mud attempt if it was not so dangerous for the country.
It is sad that ELSTAT is recognized abroad by its peers for its credibility and validity, and inside an attempt to revive a historical trauma of the country on the back of the service that restored it, the ELSTAT statement concludes.