Greece and Germany will sign two deals on supporting small and medium-sized businesses and innovative products and on energy, German Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said on Thursday in a joint press conference with Economy Minister Giorgos Stathakis in Athens.
Speaking to journalists, he said the time when the focus of the conversation was fiscal policy has passed and now the two sides should be thinking mainly about growth and job creation.
“Last year, Greece stunned, because instead of shrinking, it recorded growth, albeit small. Anyone in Europe who argues that there should be further austerity in Greece, is endangering this anemic growth which is forecast,” he said.
For this reason, Sigmar continued, it is important to try and help stabilize Greece’s social systems and try to create jobs. “To this direction, on Europe’s side, we will do whatever is possible to support investments in infrastructure, digitization and energy and I think the Greek government is doing all it can to this end,” he said.
He then went on to describe the program that will promote research and development for small and medium-sized businesses, mainly on issues of innovation. “We will open this program in Greece as well, to fund and support small and medium-sized businesses which focus on innovation,” he said, adding that this program is also operating in Israel and Poland.
“I’m certain it will meet with an enthusiastic response from the Greek companies,” Gabriel said.
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