SEV Urges Greek Gov’t to Become More ‘Investor-friendly’

The president of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), Theodros Fessas.

Investments to the tune of 16 billion euros are in the pipeline set to pan out over the next four years, according to the head of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), Theodoros Fessas.

Addressing this week’s “Designing the Future with Investments” conference organized by SEV, Fessas referred to the findings of an internal study which lists some of the investment projects currently underway or set to take off including Hellinikon, fiber optic networks, energy and gas distribution infrastructure in 43 cities, mining, logistics infrastructure, and regional airports as well as the acquisition of more than 50 Airbus by national carrier AEGEAN.

With regards to tourism, Fessas referred to ventures such as Asteras Vouliagmenis, Atalanti Hills, Elounda Hills and Costa Navarino.

Fessas said that investor interest is particularly strong for manufacturing, energy, tourism and transport projects, and suggested the adoption of an aggressive package of horizontal pro-investment reforms with specialized policies focusing on these sectors.

The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, Costa Navarino.

There is widespread mobility on levels of interest, negotiations and assessment, and there are also sectors where the situation of lagging infrastructure has been reversed with net investments showing marginally positive signs, such as manufacturing, mining, energy and construction, he said.

“Greek investments are being made, but these alone cannot fill the gap, we need more foreign direct investment, so we must improve the investment environment as a whole,” Fessas said.

In this direction, SEV’s chief is calling on the government to become more investor-friendly, “to step into the shoes of the investor, begin to think like him, in order to offer a range of services and solutions that will attract investments”.

At the same time, Fessas invited Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to head the National Investment Council, demonstrating the government’s commitment to bringing in FDI.

According to SEV analysts, Greece can more than double productive investment and create some 200,000 new jobs by 2025, with the implementation of a fast-track program.