Reforming Our Way Forward

Greece has come a long way over the past years. To build on this progress, we must continue pushing forward with reforms and engaging with all key issues.

Structural reforms were a holy grail for Greece during the dark years of its economic crisis, with those committed to forging a better future constantly arguing for the colossal need for bold changes that could reestablish our country’s credibility and empower a new economic model while also breaking down anachronistic practices, mindsets, and interests that had, for decades, been diminishing our potential for competitive growth and for establishing a thriving entrepreneurship and investment ecosystem.

The path toward these changes has been difficult, with tough and, in many cases, unfair policies that imposed a huge cost, especially upon small and medium sized companies. Yet over the past five years, there have been many important changes, driven predominantly by the successful digital transformation in key sectors of public governance and by new policies that have re-established fiscal stability and trust.

With the unique contribution of our own American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and its lasting and consistent efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to attract and facilitate investments and key partnerships and to empower a new business and entrepreneurship culture, we proudly saw the arrival of landmark investments that changed Greece’s identity as a business and FDI destination, and which created a multiplier effect for the broader economy and our country’s regional and international footprint.

Now it’s time to continue our reforms marathon and look boldly towards the future.

However, the global pandemic and its broad and prolonged socioeconomic impact, along with the war in Ukraine and the wider geopolitical volatility, have shifted our priorities from the necessary reforms marathon that we must continue running while reminding all of us that windows of opportunities do not last for long.

It is, therefore, now that we must find the capacity to continue on our journey of reforms, with an unyielding commitment to engaging with all key issues that still act as structural obstacles to attracting further investments, unleashing innovation, empowering competitive entrepreneurship, increasing employability, enhancing civic consciousness, and achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Amplifying transparency and accountability throughout the public and private sectors, securing effective judicial protection for all, tackling corruption across the board, fortifying institutional trust and the people-state relationship, confronting misinformation, and advancing critical-thinking-based education are all issues with grave impact on the future of our economy and the wellbeing of our society, especially considering the massive and complex challenges we are called to face every day.

Greece has indeed become an example of resilience, progress, and positive transformation. We have proved to our global friends, but especially to ourselves, that we carry the capacity to change, to work our way back to stability, to fight back and break down obstacles and silos that we ourselves have created. Now it’s time to continue our reforms marathon, to push harder, unite our talents and skills, push aside interests and shortsighted ambitions, invest in true collaboration, and look boldly towards the future. It’s time to reform our way forward.