Greece has developed in the last years, a popular location for foreign investors. Even if it has not yet arrived in the consciousness of Greek citizens.
One wonders in this days of return of the purchased goods, Spyros and Kostas in some quarters of the city of Thessaloniki, or Athens, what is good for you and your home Greece, the most important, then you get the same answer: investing! Here, it is not so long that they went against the “sellout of the homeland” on the streets and against foreign investors protested. Meanwhile, the mood has changed. It became most clear that state-owned enterprises do not have to be for always and forever by foreign business people. In the future the grandchildren of the return of the purchased goods, Spyros and Kostas could acquire the Greek state’s property back.
Also in the Greek media, the topic is discussed so far is contradictory. For a journalist, the foreign investors are undesirable for the other, they have totally too late. The latter accuse the present government even, to have so far done little to the attractiveness of promote Greece as a business location.
Four years ago, lifted from the baptism
Grigoris Stergioulis advises clients on a fair
In the case of “Enterprise Greece” is less discussed, but simply acted. “The boost of the Greek economy has already begun. And will continue,” says Director Grigoris Stergioulis. What sounds like the Name of a space ship, is a consulting and Promotions GmbH, in which the Greek state is involved. Created in 2014 from the organization “Invest in Greece” and the Association of the Greek foreign trade. It was probably the first serious attempt by the Greek government and the Ministry of economy and development, to promote the country. Two objectives are pursued: to make a location for investment in Greece more attractive and exports to expand. The first goal is the more difficult. Still tedious, bureaucratic paths to tread. “Although much has been done,” says Stergioulis in his Athens office.
So had been initiated in the past four years, reforms in the approval process. Construction projects and real estate sales could now begin faster. Add to this the funding packages would be awarded more quickly by the banks, and licences in modern procedures. Similarly, a new strategy has been developed, which enables the banks, the Problem of non-performing loans to tackle. This creates more confidence for the location of Greece and offers a new financial game, which will again close with the lenders together. “Enterprise Greece” and today employs 55 employees, including Economists, engineers, political scientists, and consultants.
Here to stay
The list of foreign investors is long, when Grigoris Stergioulis opens the corresponding page in his Computer. The establishment of larger companies prefer more company, the famous Domino effect. There are mainly companies from the sectors of tourism, real estate, health, energy, logistics and communication technology. In the past year, a growing interest of multinational corporations is observed, and Stergioulis. Especially in the service sector, hope to see a large increase in employment in the coming years.
Grigoris Stergioulis looks happy when he looks at the report of the Greek statistical authority. “Our exports have increased in 2017 and 2018, respectively, in the double digits. This means that our products are competitive become more competitive.” More and more products of the Greek food industry, but also of Greek marble, and technology services, will be asked Bouzos, who is responsible for the Enterprise-Greece-office in Thessaloniki declared Kleovoulos.
Popular food “Made in Greece”
As regards foreign investors, the professionals want in “Enterprise Greece”, that more comes out of Europe. At the Moment, Chinese companies still predominate.