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Change of Prime Minister accompanied by new expectations about a way out
of the financial crisis
The selection of Mr. Lucas Papademos as the new Prime Minister of Greece
may instil an atmosphere of stability in Greece and be the starting
point of a gradual improvement of Greece’s image and reliability abroad.
We hope that substantial growth measures will also be taken in order to
boost the competitiveness of enterprises, which will have a tangible
effect on the real economy. We also hope that during the period in which
the new government will manage the future of Greece, substantial reforms
will take place to boost business competitiveness and actually reverse
the poor financial climate prevailing in the domestic market.
We have run out of time and although I do not want to sound like an
alarmist, something has to change very rapidly, otherwise there will be
no enterprises left in the near future…
Especially as regards manufacturing companies, the new political leaders
should finally realize that it is impossible for the country to get out
of the financial crisis without any production base. In this context, we
expect from a multi-party government such as that of Mr. Papademos to
take bold steps in the field of structural changes, which are required
for boosting business competitiveness, giving priority to the reduction
of bureaucracy and multiple laws, to the establishment of a stable tax
system and the consolidation of an atmosphere of security for citizens
and enterprises.
I believe that what the previous government had declared in words should
be actually implemented in practice. In other words, while striving for
growth, priority should be given to the country's production base in
order to maintain the existing job positions and boost the extrovert
activities of Greece.
The Federation of Industries of Northern Greece will soon seek to
arrange work meetings with the Ministers who are in charge of
production-related ministries in order to discuss the views and
proposals about the competitive recovery of regional manufacturing
companies and how to bring industry back into the limelight of a new
growth strategy.
In this context, the following will be required from the political
leaders:
1. To accelerate the structural changes concerning fiscal consolidation,
and improvement of Greece’s reliability and image abroad.
2. To refrain from any new imposition of direct and indirect taxes so as
to protect mainly low-income people.
3. To enhance, in a prompt and concrete manner, the feeling of security
among Greek citizens and Greek entrepreneurs.
4. To establish direct growth measures that will improve business
operations on a daily basis and will finally help enterprises to bolster
their competitiveness, thus contributing to their survival, the
maintenance of job positions and, finally, their growth.
5. To boost the extrovert character of Greek enterprises and adopt a new
extrovert growth model for the Greek economy.
6. The new tax bill that will be passed should remain in effect over the
next five years, and aim at growth rather than tax collection.
7. Employment rather than unemployment should be subsidized. In other
words, we propose that the employer's contributions should be subsidized
at least over the next three years so as to maintain the necessary job
positions and, finally,
8. Liquidity and ultimately the competitiveness of domestic enterprises
should be bolstered.
In any case, the consent we have been seeking over the last few months
has been primarily achieved.
What is left to be done is to have – AT LAST - the right decisions made
for the recovery of the economy and enhancement of domestic enterprises’
competitiveness.
Previous President's Messages
A New Year showcasing GREEK VALUE
A new year, with changes in the state and society
Change of Prime Minister accompanied by new expectations about a way out of the financial crisis
Zero profits for processing industries in Northern Greece in 2010, with one in three businesses reporting losses
Only daring decisions will take the country out of this impasse
The Federation’s Proposals for development
The need to take measures to immediately bolster the economy and improve business competitiveness
A new year – new expectations for growth and development
Developmental measures to offset unemployment benefits with job subsidies
Enhancing "Greek Value" by resolving problems that drag on
Greece’s rise in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook ranking is encouraging news amidst the crisis
The Federation of Industries of Northern Greece making a decisive contribution to manufacturing strategy up to 2020
The government's immediate priorities in 2010 to develop the infrastructure in Thessaloniki and boost the competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises
Expectations from the new government: the manufacturing sector should be the new government’s focus
Industry should be among the Government’s policy priorities
Industry centre stage again
Proposals for avoiding the financial crisis
Bold decision-making for avoiding the financial crisis
Prospects for growth in Northern Greece in an environment of international crisis
Investment Law and Northern Greece
The market of izmir: the next goal for outward-looking enterprises of
northern greece
The
new government’s aspirations for thessaloniki and northern greece:
fing’s proposals for development
Thessaloniki and Northern Greece in International Markets
Regional
development policy as an engine for local industrial development
Global
orientation, productivity and realistic management of the National
Strategic Development Plan (NSDP). The challenges for 2007
Investment Law and Northern Greece
The new
legislative framework for research and technology in Greece: a
government nod of approval for the proposals made by the Federation of
Industries of Northern Greece (FING)
Thessaloniki has the potential to become the second pole of development
for Greece and the headquarters for development organizations nationwide
Changing
attitudes to combat unemployment – Proposals for creating closer links
between education and production
Support
for the Regions: From now on, policy actions and not just policy
announcements
The
business community – a force for social cohesion in Northern Greece
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