The national plan “Greece 2.0” became an example to be imitated for other countries, underlined the Vice President of the Commission, Margaritis Schoinas, in the context of the web conferences with a central theme “Greece and the EU Recovery and Resilience Mechanism: How can the” Greece 2.0 “plan turn the pandemic crisis into an opportunity?” organized by the European Commission in collaboration with the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research-IOBE.

“It is a unique opportunity for Greece to make the most of its strengths. “, stressed characteristically.

As he mentioned, the plan, when submitted by the Greek government, was received with very positive comments, both from the Commission and from the European Council, as it was well connected with a series of modifications that had already been implemented in recent years, so there was the factor of continuity.

Still, ““It was an ambitious project and one of the projects in which it appeared that the government has full ownership of all these proposals and that is so crucial.”, stressed characteristically.

“It could not be otherwise, as Greece offers a unique case for the Recovery Fund process: its large reservoir of renewable energy sources, its biodiversity, its geographical location and its workforce. “The country has the potential to make a difference, using RRF funds as fertilizer for its prospects.”

Mr. Schoinas referred to the importance of policies for climate change and the green transition and stressed that without the resources from the Recovery Fund, we could not face this challenge.

Especially, as he noted, for the regions that depend on the least, it is important that a significant part of the Greek program focuses on the restoration and readjustment of these regions in Western Macedonia and Megalopolis.

He also made special reference to the digital transition, where, as he pointed out, Greece, despite the impressive progress it has achieved, is still behind in relation to new countries, while emphasizing the great importance of training employees in new technologies, but also to further advance the digital communication of the citizen with the state.

“To be sure that public investment will have a long-term effect on the economy, we need broad transformations in the business environment and of course private investment will be strengthened, which is the only long-term solution to the country’s large investment gap,” she said. Commission.

Asked about the outcome of the recent German elections, he said there was no doubt that “Germany will remain an important driver of European integration and will continue to be at the heart of European economic governance.”

Regarding the discussion that has begun for a change in the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact, he pointed out: “We definitely need a new beginning in our economic governance, something that goes beyond the limits of the Stability and Growth Pact as we know it so far.”

For his part, Nobel Prize-winning economist Christoforos Pissaridis said he was optimistic about the prospects for the development of the Greek economy, a country that, he said, has natural resources that make untapped, specialized staff, natural beauty.

He said, however, that a series of far-reaching transformations were needed in all areas. The reforms made in the years of the memoranda were not owned by the governments that implemented them, he said, adding that this time there is a determination on the part of the government to move forward.

The money of the Recovery Fund is a “unique opportunity” for the necessary changes to proceed for the Greek economy, he noted.

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