PM Antonis Samaras: Foundations of success story for first time since crisis began

Replying to a question, Samaras said that there is no common European policy on the issue of EEZs at this time, resulting in each member state dealing with these matters by itself.

The Greek efforts to combat the financial crisis were the main topic of the first session of the meeting of the EPP Group Presidency with the Heads of National Delegations in Athens. Opening the meeting, the Chairman of the EPP Group, Joseph Daul, welcomed the participants and especially Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.

"Your government belongs to the team of EPP government leaders who are fighting the crisis with courage and determination, like Ireland, Latvia and Poland, just to mention a few", Daul told Samaras, and praised the hard work of the Greek government and the Greek people in putting the country back on the track of economic development.

Daul underlined that Greece is making concrete progress: its economy is more and more competitive, exports are increasing, budgetary deficits are decreasing with short and medium-term debt which is more and more limited.

"These are positive and encouraging signals but it is crucial that you continue your efforts and keep going on the path to reform", he concluded.

Samaras anticipated that "recovery will come by the end of 2013", noting that "it had a tough year, but Greece succeeded in fulfilling the 'prior actions' and attaining its fiscal targets for the first time in decades".

"The Greek people have suffered greatly and continue to suffer," the premier said, stressing, however, that the initial data for this year indicate that "we will meet the targets for a primary surplus", noting also that the execution of last year's (2012) budget "is more than satisfactory, despite the larger-than-expected recession".

Clearly aiming to keep low tones, Samaras nevertheless warned that these achievements are fragile, but added that this time the appropriate early warning mechanisms are in place for correction of the course in the event of deviations.

"We cannot allow a destroyed middle class and a desperate youth," he stressed, making several references in his address to the rampant unemployment among the young which, Samaras said, is an immense problem given that "the unemployment trends are unbearable and worrisome and we must reverse them immediately".

"Our duty is to maintain social cohesion and public order so that the economy can operate and recovery can take place as soon as possible," the premier said,

He also spoke of "populist voices that are being heard from right and left" which, however, "are incapable of derailing the effort".

Samaras urged that special weight be placed also on the reforms being advanced by the Greek government, with the impetus on the deregulation of the markets, the 'opening' of the so-called 'closed professions', the reduction of bureaucracy, the denationalisations and attracting foreign investments.

"What we offer is a 'red carpet', not 'red tape'," the Greek prime minister said, pledging to clamp down on bureaucracy.

On the privatisations, Samaras said that binding tenders for the State Natural Gas Company (DEPA) and its subsidiary distributor Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA) and the Greek football prognostics, numerical lottery and sports betting games operator OPAP are expected by end-March, while three other major progammes will be completed by the end of the year, and predicted that the targets in this area will be exceeded.

Referring to the performance of the Greek economy in eliminating public deficits, achieving a primary surplus and improving its international competitiveness, Samaras voiced his determination to continue with the reforms and to speed up privatisation projects. "Our tri-party government – politically-speaking the first such coalition in decades - has managed in just eight months to make more structural changes than any government dared to consider in past decades. A Greek success story will be a relief for Greece and solid proof that the Eurozone has the strength, depth and capacity to surpass its worse problems. It will be a Greek success, a European success and an EPP success," he said.

Marietta Giannakou, Head of the Greek Delegation of the EPP Group, focused on the impact of the crisis on Greek society and especially on Greek youth who are suffering high unemployment. "We have to give hope to the new generation. The experience of the high living standards we have enjoyed over the last 50 years is not sufficient to satisfactorily combat youth unemployment. We have to start a long discussion on finding new ways and tools to tackle the crisis," she said.