“We are not isolated, but we are affected by international developments, but also by the major natural disasters that hit our country,” said Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, speaking on Bloomberg TV, on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington.
“Nevertheless, I should underline that our growth rate is 4-5 times higher than the eurozone average and this demonstrates the success of our policy, which has been based on two pillars, fiscal discipline and a business-friendly approach ” he underlined and added: “As you know we had a very dramatic experience in the last decade, and I think we have learned our lesson. This government is determined to follow the same path in order to attract new investment and further reduce unemployment.”
The lesson of Greece and the USA
Asked by the Bloomberg journalist, although the rest of the world has learned its lesson, like Greece, especially with regard to the excessive debt accumulated in the USA, Mr. Hatzidakis underlined that it would not be a responsible attitude not to “observe the developments and to say that everything is fine. It is not the first time that the global economy is facing problems.”
“Nevertheless, we should not ignore the messages coming from various sides. Greece cannot change world history, but we can take our share and that is our effort”
Mr. Hatzidakis also referred to the recent discussion in Brussels about the competitiveness of Europe, stressing that this is the key word for the future. He argued that European policy should adapt to the new reality.
Defense spending
Asked about defense spending in the midst of two wars, Mr. Hatzidakis clarified that Greece spends 3% on defense spending, stressing that we have the second highest percentage as an EU and NATO member country after Poland, so we meet the criteria that have been set by NATO: “I believe that all member states must comply with the rules. And that’s why we have an alliance”
For Trump
In closing, Mr. Hatzidakis was asked whether Europe is ready for the possibility of the re-election of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States. The Greek minister emphasized that we cannot tell the Americans what they will do: “I am referring to the Europeans. We will respect the decision of the American people, and we will try to work with the other side of the Atlantic.”
Source: OT
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