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About Us Embassy of Greece in London News PM tells Cabinet: Growth, investments, new jobs the fundamental goal
PM tells Cabinet: Growth, investments, new jobs the fundamental goal
Prime
Minister Antonis Samaras expressed satisfaction with the recent Eurogroup
decisions on Greece and the
climate, vis-a-vis Greece,
that has emerged abroad, and stressed that the priority now was on changing the
climate at home and for relief of the social groups that are hardest hit by the
crisis, addressing a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
"In the latest
period we had the major issue of the European battle. This battle ended at the
recent Eurogroup meeting," Samaras said, noting that the Greek market was
no credible abroad.
"No one will be allowed to injure Greece's credibility," he warned, adding that he did not want to hear of gloating. "We must manage the problems correctly. We cannot speak of success when things are so difficult, that all has ended. We've been culling conclusions since yesterday (Tuesday). We will correct whatever mistakes in our operation," he added.
Samaras stressed that solidarity among the government ministers is necessary, as is coordination among the Cabinet members, and gave strict orders for completion of the prior actions by end-December, noting that they are "society-friendly actions and do good to competitiveness".
The premier presented three directions in which
the government will act in the coming period: strict supervision of every
ministry on its budget (there will be an automatic supervisory mechanism),
implementation of the measures without relaxation, and everyone's assistance in
the denationalisations.
The goal, he said, is for every ministry to
present a primary surplus, and this is the purpose of the automatic supervisory
mechanism.
"With the surplus, we can channel 70
percent to correcting injustices," Samaras said, while he set out growth,
investments and the creation of new jobs as the fundamental goal.
The prime minister announced that a memorandum
would be signed by alternate finance minister Christos Staikouras with the
ministers of every ministry that has outstanding debts, as this was necessary
for the credibility of the state,
He further told his ministers that he will be at their side and urged then to draw up time-tables and adhere to them.
"I will from here on be at the Maximos Mansion (government headquarters) infrequently and frequently at the ministries. I will be a different prime minister," Samaras said, and thanked Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras for the "titanic work he accomplished in such a short time", as well as the other ministers who "gave their all, to the point of self-sacrifice".
