Deputy FM Mardas met with state officials and entepreneurs in Berlin

Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas on April 4-6 visited Berlin and particiated in the Greek-German Business Forum entitled “Restoring confidence and navigating for new trade, investment and start-ups”, organized by Economist Greece.

In his speech, Mr. Mardas said that Greece needed a “development shock” with investments of over €22 billion by 2022. He also referred to Greece’s comparative advantages that should attract investors, emphasizing the human capital, the reduction in bureaucracy on matters pertaining to investment approval, the great potential for developing investment activities in the logistics sector, etc.

Within the framework of his visit, Mr. Mardas met with the German State Secretary for European Affairs, Security and Crisis Management, Markus Ederer, with whom he discussed the programme and goals of the International Conference on “Connectivity for Commerce and Investment,” which the German OSCE Chairmanship is hosting in Berlin in May 18-19, 2016. Greece will be represented at this Conference by Mr. Mardas and an accompanying delegation.

Mr. Mardas also met with Peter Clever, the Executive Director of the Association of German Employers’ Confederations (BDA), which represents 52 confederations across the range of the German economy. Together with the Managing Director of Enterprise Greece, V. Dotsis, he met with the President and CEO of German Trade and Investment (GTAI), Benno Bunse. Additionally, Mr. Mardas talked with a representative of the Greek-German Business Association, with whom he agreed on the opening of bilateral meetings aimed at promoting cooperation between German and Greek companies active in the sectors of Information Technology and Communications (ITC) and Tourism.

Finally, Mr. Mardas attended an event promoting the 2nd Moyvos-Lesvos International Classical Music Festival, which was held under the auspices of the Greek Embassy in Berlin, with the support of the Greek Culture Ministry and the German Embassy in Athens. In the context of this event, there was a tasting of local wines of Lesvos.

SOURCE: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greece