June 7, 1957
MARSHALL PLAN I: Minister of Coordination Dimitrios Helmis marked the 10th anniversary of the Marshall Plan yesterday in statements emphasizing that, thanks to the plan, the European economy had not only managed to heal the scars of war but also to rapidly develop to a much higher standard than that of the pre-war period in nearly all sectors. Helmis praised the beneficial effects of the plan for Greece, where the economic situation before the war was pitiful, with a trade deficit close to 300 million dollars. Thanks to the plan, those population groups that had been uprooted as a consequence of the war have since been resettled, major reconstruction projects have been carried out and the country’s economic activity in general is at much higher levels than prior to the war. Naturally, the underlying problems in the Greek economy have not been resolved and the people’s living standards are still among the lowest in Europe. However, the progress achieved to date has been remarkable and positive conditions have been created for further growth.
