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growth are the following: both the Government and
the Troika must consent in immediately signing a
Social Contract with all Social Partners, aimed at
the development of Greek small and medium-sized
entrepreneurship along European standards; liquid-
ity injections to enterprises by Greek banks and
suspension of the operation of the TIRESIAS inter-
bank list of bad debtors for the entire duration of the
crisis; establishment of an economic development
and reform institutional body that will immediately
prepare a strategic plan of development activities in
all fields, with the collaboration of all trade and
industry groups and the Ministry of Development,
which will be reporting directly to the Prime Minister;
immediate creation of a Special Purpose
Investment Bank for SMEs; reduction of the princi-
pal on business loans and repayment of the
remaining amount in 10 years; reduction of credit
card and consumer loan interest rates; reduction of
the amount of guarantees, in proportion to the
Greek government bonds' haircut; settlement of
TEMPME loan payments; acceleration of the pro-
cedures, and reform of the NSRF for the provision
of SMEs with working capital, through subsidies
and guarantee mechanisms, as well as the
improvement of eligibility requirements; promotion
of policies for supporting Greek products, through
the provision of continuous support of ESEE to the
“We Consume only what we Produce” movement
and the provision of incentives for cross-border
trade at the country's border territories; provision of
incentives for synergies among different types of
Trade with Greece
19
SMEs; provision of incentives for the development
of export activities through the transformation of
importing SMEs to micro-exporters; enhancement
of productive activities that
de facto
contribute to
import substitution; radical reduction of red tape,
and of the administrative burden in general; combi-
nation of development policy with the enhancement
of the social protection system; re-launching of local
markets, based on a specific development plan of
commercial SMEs for each Greek region
(Geodatabase). Our priority is to utilize economic
geography in order to create “open-street malls” in
the historic business district of each city, with the
aim of reviving retail trade. The establishment of
free zones and export parks in Greek ports and bor-
der territories can also provide a boost to Greece’s
cross border trade and exports.
ESEE, in an effort to rekindle the Greek economy
and attract investment, launched an international
campaign, titled: “Rethink of Greece, trust Hellenic
Commerce”, with the aim of restoring the private
sector's failing commercial credit in overseas mar-
kets.
In conclusion, I would like to express my confidence
in the ability of Greek entrepreneurship to deal with
this deep recession. In this tough period we must
find ways to utilize the major advantages of the
Greek economy. The country's healthy social forces
must open up “cracks” of optimism against a tumult
of negative messages. The realization of growth
proposals submitted by all market people is the only
heritage we can leave for future generations.