Minister of National Economy and Finance and President of the Eurogroup, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, had a meeting with former Eurogroup President and Mayor of Eindhoven, Gerun Dijsselbloem, this morning in his office at the Ministry of National Economy and Finance.
The two men discussed the impressive progress the Greek economy has made in recent years, which, it was reported, is reflected in Greece’s assumption of the Eurogroup presidency.
Here are the statements made after the meeting.
Kyriakos Pierrakakis:Today I had the opportunity to welcome Jeroen Dijsselbloem in Greece and at the Ministry of Finance. The former Eurogroup President, former Dutch Finance Minister and Mayor of Eindhoven – a city that stands out for its potential in technology and innovation.
I am happy to say that Jeroen Dijsselbloem is no stranger to Greece, but I had the opportunity to welcome him today in a completely different environment from the one that prevailed ten years ago. The country that was once synonymous with the word “crisis” has now entered a new era of sustainable economic growth, with primary surpluses, overall fiscal surpluses, a de-escalating debt and positive growth rates – higher than the European Union average.
I would say that this is proof of the will of a whole generation of Europeans – and certainly a generation of Greeks – to leave the past behind and enter this new era of growth and innovation. And, of course, it is also proof of the will of a generation of Greeks not to pass the bill on to the next generation.
Once again, welcome today to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. It was a great pleasure to discuss with you the Eurogroup priorities among other things.
Gerun Dijsselbloem: Thank you very much. It is a pleasure to meet the Minister again and to be back in Greece. And, of course, I am particularly proud that the Greek Finance Minister is now chairing the Eurogroup, because this is an excellent example of the path we have taken and the progress that has been made – both in the euro area as a whole and in Greece in particular, where the prospects are very positive.
The economy is growing strongly, at a rate higher than the European average, and the current government deserves congratulations for that.
I am very happy that Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis is now leading the Eurogroup, because the European economy needs to become much stronger. We need more investment and a more leading role in cutting-edge technologies, and for all this, funding is crucial.
The Eurogroup remains a very important group in Europe and I am very pleased that the Minister is leading this effort.
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