Greece backs Balkan EU prospects
Greece supports the reform efforts being made in the Balkan states and their European prospects, and plays a significant role in this process, said Economy and Finance Minister Giorgos Alogoskoufis when addressing a conference on poverty in the Balkans yesterday. «It is certain that the western Balkans, as well as the whole region of Southeastern Europe, can, in the next 15-20 years, become the economic miracle of Europe and contribute in a key way toward upgrading the living standards of their citizens and the European Union itself,» said Alogoskoufis. The fourth conference on strategies to reduce poverty in the Balkans was organized in Athens by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, in association with the Greek government. Athens attributes great importance to the progress of its neighbors, as they are major expansion markets for Greek products and companies. «Greece’s support comes through the public sector, through the political procedures, through the European process and mainly through the participation of the Greek private sector and the investments it makes in the broader region, playing a very important part in its development,» argued Alogoskoufis. He noted that Balkan countries have left behind them most of the political, social and economic problems they suffered over the last two decades and have entered into an orbit of reform, so as to develop and liberalize their economies and to achieve social cohesion. «Many of the political problems of the past have been solved. Some remain open, but with the spirit of cooperation of recent years, we will proceed to solving them, too,» Alogoskoufis said, adding that the number of business opportunities in the region is great due to the desires by all the states outside the EU to join it.
