The framework of the government's interventions to boost savings, both by citizens and the public sector, was presented by the Minister of National Economy and Finance, Kostis Hatzidakis, speaking tonight at a Eurobank event on "Savings in Greece,"  according to a statement.

Mr. Hatzidakis made special reference to the new capitalization system for supplementary insurance (TEKA), which boosts private savings and will soon, he said, manage funds worth billions of euros, as well as public savings, stressing the need for the country to maintain the improvement it has achieved in previous years so as not to undermine the efforts and sacrifices of citizens.

He also noted the initiatives that have been implemented for the consolidation of the banking system: "You cannot even talk about savings without a robust banking system that citizens and businesses trust. Memories are fresh of people taking their money out of the banks and hiding it under the mattresses. When the future, not only of the deposits but also of the banks themselves, was in doubt. We continue to work to ensure that Greek depositors have many safe and efficient options for placing their money. We will bring in the next period of regulations that will shield the Securities and Exchange Commission and make the stock market more attractive. Thus offering households and businesses even more options for investing their savings."