Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas carried out a visit to Berlin from 4 to 6 April 2016, to participate as a speaker in a Greek-German Business Forum organized by the Economist Greece and entitled “Restoring confidence and navigating for new trade, investment and start-ups.”
In his speech, Mr. Mardas highlighted that Greece needs a “development shock” with investments of over €22 billion by 2022. He also referred to Greece’s comparative advantages that should attract investors, emphasizing human capital, the reduction in bureaucracy on matters pertaining to investment approval, the great potential for developing investment activities in the logistics sector, etc.
Within the framework of his visit, Mr. Mardas met with the German State Secretary for European Affairs, Security and Crisis Management, Markus Ederer, with whom he discussed the programme and goals of the International Conference on “Connectivity for Commerce and Investment,” which the German OSCE Chairmanship is hosting in Berlin on 18 and 19 May 2016. Greece will be represented at this Conference by Mr. Mardas and an accompanying delegation.
Mr. Mardas also met with Peter Clever, the Executive Director of the Association of German Employers' Confederations (BDA), which represents 52 confederations across the range of the German economy. Together with the Managing Director of Enterprise Greece, V. Dotsis, he met with the President and CEO of German Trade and Investment (GTAI), Benno Bunse. Additionally, Mr. Mardas talked with a representative of the Greek-German Business Association, with whom he agreed on the opening of bilateral meetings aimed at promoting cooperation between German and Greek companies active in the sectors of Information Technology and Communications (ITC) and Tourism.
Finally, Mr. Mardas attended an event promoting the 2nd Moyvos-Lesvos International Classical Music Festival, which was held under the auspices of the Greek Embassy in Berlin, with the support of the Greek Culture Ministry and the German Embassy in Athens. In the context of this even, there was a tasting of local wines of Lesvos.
April 6, 2016