(ii) reorganizing the public administration by
improving its efficiency on all levels (municipali-
ties, regions, the central government, embassies
etc.), in order to ensure that it acts as a helper
and ally to the growth efforts of both citizens and
businesses; (iii) establishing the tools that enable
long-term and well-grounded growth planning, for
example a fair, simple and stable tax system, the
completion of the national land registry, reliable
spatial planning etc. (iv) decisively dealing with
red tape, by clarifying and simplifying the legal-
administrative system, in order to facilitate busi-
ness activity and expedite the dispensation of jus-
tice; (v) supporting the backbone of the Greek
economy, its small and medium-sized enterprises,
in order to help them increase their size and their
productivity; (vi) productively utilizing Greece’s
remarkably strong scientific and technological
potential, especially our scientists who, in the past
years, were forced to emigrate en masse, under-
mining our country’s growth potential.
[c]
Restarting the economy and restoring its
financing capabilities. We aim at urgently dealing
with the over-indebtedness and overtaxation
imposed on households and businesses by the
recessionary and austerity-oriented memoran-
dums. We are at the final stage of preparing draft
laws on the favourable settlement of debts
towards the tax administration and the social
security funds. Moreover, we are preparing a draft
law for dealing with the problem of the banks’ non
performing loans.
Dealing with the problem of these so-called “red
loans” will also be instrumental in restoring the
banking system’s capability to finance the Greek
economy under favourable terms. In regard to the
same target, we are quickly advancing our plans
for the creation of a development bank and the
issuance of project bonds. In addition, we are ini-
tiating the procedures for revising the NSRF and
finding additional EU resources that, along with
domestic funds, will enable us enhance the pub-
lic investment budget. Finally, we are determined
to develop state property for growth purposes,
and to this end we are, among others, systemati-
cally exploring the option of intergovernmental
agreements on specific investment initiatives.
Our plans for financing the Greek economy aim at
creating a strong public and private investment
impetus, in sectors that have a remarkable and
largely untapped growth potential, such as agri-
food production, manufacturing, energy, new
technologies and so forth. The same aim is also
served by many of the changes and reforms I
mentioned above.
[d]
Dealing with the humanitarian crisis and tak-
ing further initiatives in order to start building a
social state that will protect the weak and will
reduce social inequalities. Apart from social jus-
tice, these will also improve Greece’s growth
prospects, because, as increasingly stressed by
distinguished economists and international
organisations such as the OECD and the IMF, the
increase of social inequality undermines econom-
ic development.
We believe that, with the support of the popular
classes and the workers, as well as by rallying all
the healthy forces of the business world, our
country will soon get back on the path of growth,
with dignity and social justice.
Trade with Greece
15
