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Official statements in the webinar: "The Importance of Transparency in International Business Transactions: Current challenges and new facts " - Opening remarks by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis (01.07.2021).
"The Importance of Transparency in International Business Transactions" was the title of webinar held today, Thursday 1 July, which was co-organised by the Office of Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the General Secretariat for International Economic Relations and External Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Transparency Authority.
"Greece is now an active participant in the European dialogue, putting forward and promoting the agenda," emphasized Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, at the opening of the webinar. Indeed, the establishment of the National Transparency Authority by Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis government has been considered by the European Commission, in its relevant reports, as a significant step towards achieving transparency, he added, underlining that "the goal of the Greek government is to put transparency to the forefront in the development of business activity."
Referring to the European Union's response to the health and economic crisis, Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed that we will be able to meet the new demands of the economy "if we properly utilize the funds and opportunities that lie ahead," stating that "the fact that Greece played a leading role in adopting a huge recovery package and is now being asked to manage approximately one-third of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in European funding constitutes a huge opportunity. The next seven years are a great chance, it is our generation’s to hand over Greece to the next generations as a reliable, capable and dynamically growing economy".
The Deputy Minister also noted that "there is still a lot of work to be done both nationally and internationally, but the steps taken so far in the Greek system and the reforms planned by the Greek government contribute in this direction. Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed that "all the initiatives we are taking at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attract investments and investors, as well as people who will contribute to the national GDP (Business Visa, Student Visa, Digital Nomad Visa), are initiatives related to the use of new technologies that ensure quick access to administrative procedures and reduce bureaucratic obstacles".
The General Secretary of International Economic and External Relations and President of Enterprise Greece, Mr. Yiannis Smyrlis, welcomed the conference, stating that "corruption is undoubtedly a complex and versatile phenomenon which actually exceeds the narrow limits of a single state." Mr. Smyrlis stressed that the entire Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working intensively to promote investments and openness, based on transparency and the rule of law’s implementation "because we believe that this is the only way to achieve better results with a long-term perspective".
Mr. Angelos Binis, Governor of the National Transparency Authority, highlighted the importance of transparency in international business transactions as a priority in the fight against bribery and corruption in accordance with international and European standards. Mr. Binis called on the representatives of the competent authorities to remain vigilant and continue their efforts to promote a business environment that protects integrity, encourages healthy competition and attracts foreign investment.
The webinar continued with specialised statements from international and public officials and representatives of the business community.
The webinar was coordinated by the journalist Mr. Ilias Siakantaris.
You can watch the webinar at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51611klT0p4