T
he global recession highlighted ―in the
hardest manner possible for our country―
the extent of the problem, a problem that
all Greeks decided to deal with, sincerely and
courageously, showing our willingness to change.
Despite the predictions of many people who
questioned both our vigor and ability to cope with
this challenge, today we have already taken the
first decisive steps, and the great effort we are
collectively making as a society has started to
bear fruit.
We have implemented an ambitious ―in terms of
scope and speed― structural reform, fiscal con-
solidation and profligacy-fighting program, to help
the country exit the crisis, and to create a robust
economy and an efficient public sector.
Thus, presently Greece is a rapidly changing
country. Our social security system is considered
to be one of the most sustainable in Europe, the
so-called “closed” professions are opening up,
the tax system has become simpler and more
just, the tax rates for reinvested company profits
have been reduced, and we are poised to reform
the system for the dispensation of justice, in order
to make it simpler and faster. Our country’s deficit
is now under control, while the public sector
Trade with Greece
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Greece has been caught in the
maelstrom of an unprecedented
economic crisis; a crisis whose
symptoms might be fiscal, albeit its
deeper causes were rooted in
chronic distortions and rigidities in
the functioning of the state, the
market, as well as our very society.
Greece is gazing
optimistically into the
future
By George A. Papandreou
Prime Minister of Greece
