Proud that a Greek finance minister now chairs the Eurogroup, Gerun Dijsselbloem said in a meeting with Kyriakos Pierrakakis.
Former Eurogroup president and mayor of Eindhoven, Gerun Daislblum met this morning with Minister of National Economy and Finance and current Eurogroup President Kyriakos Pierrakakis, in his office at the ministry.
The two men discussed the impressive progress made by Greek economy in recent years, a fact that, it was reported, is reflected in Greece’s assumption of the Eurogroup presidency. As Kyriakos Pierrakakis said, “Greece has left the past behind and is entering an era of growth and innovation.”
The statements
Here are the statements made after the meeting.
Kyriakos Pierrakakis:Today I had the opportunity to welcome Jeroen Dijsselbloem to Greece and to the Ministry of Finance. The former Eurogroup chairman, former finance minister of the Netherlands and mayor of Aidhoven – a city that stands out for its potential in technology and innovation.
It is fair to say that Gerun 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, de-escalating debt and positive growth rates – higher than the European Union.
I would say that this is evidence 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.
And again, welcome today to the Ministry of National Economy and Finance. It was a great pleasure to discuss with you the priorities of the Eurogroup among others.
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 anexcellent 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 outlook is very positive.
The economy is growing dynamically, at rates 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 of this, finance is crucial.
The Eurogroup remains a very important group in Europe and I am very happy that the Minister is leading this effort.
Kyriakos Pierrakakis:Thank you very much for the visit.
Gerun Dijsselbloem:Thank you.
