PM: We're still on red alert, but country is moving upward

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said that Greece is still on 'red alert', but the country is now moving upwards, taking the podium for the second time late Tuesday night during a parliamentary plenary debate on the problems faced by farmers and the agricultural sector.

"Nothing is finished. We are on red alert but the country is heading upwards, not downwards," Samaras said.

The premier said that 44 billion euros will be channeled to the Greek economy in the period 2014-2020. He elaborated that Greece had secured 35 billion euros on the basis of the decisions of the last EU Summit, and together with the funds that have yet to be absorbed from the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) the sum would reach 44 billion euros, which he said are sufficient to spur growth.

Although there indeed was a shortfall in state revenues in January, nevertheless "we have done much better with respect to (reducing) expenditure, resulting in a primary surplus", Samaras said.

He warned that "nothing is finished, we are on red alert", but added that "the country is heading upwards, not downwards", and accused main opposition SYRIZA of "political amoralism" because it "wagers on the destruction of the country".

Samaras further cited the political developments in Italy, and called on the MPs to think what would have happened today, with the generalised sense of insecurity, if Greece had not secured its smooth financing "now that may estimate that multiple the money will be required for other countries" in the EU.

The premier further assured that the process of denationalisation for the State Natural Gas Company (DEPA) and its subsidiary distributor Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA) will be "absolutely transparent".