By the end of the month, Kostis Hatzidakis, the Minister of National Economy and Finance, will present a draft law on the Greek capital market to the Council of Ministers with the intention of making the Greek stock market more appealing.

Mr. Hatzidakis participated in a discussion with the Governor of the BoE, Yannis Stournaras, and the Director General of the IOBE, Nikos Vettas. Responding to a question on how to counter the populism prevailing in various regions of the world, he said he was optimistic for our country. "In Greece, he said, we had the negative experience of the previous decade. New Democracy won two elections despite not having a populist approach and making fewer promises than other parties. This is a sign of maturity for Greek citizens, probably based on this negative experience. However, politicians should not forget that they do not only appeal to the minds but also to the hearts of citizens."

ABOUT TRUMP

Asked about D. Trump's victory and the consequences for Europe, the minister said: "My experience in the European Parliament is that Europe does not act but mainly reacts to certain developments. I think that developments in the US may inspire or force the EU to move. Otherwise, we are doomed and the EU's role internationally will decline. We need to address the competitiveness deficit and the political deficit, especially in the area of defence. We do not want to be an international tourist destination but to have a strong, competitive economy with a political identity and a presence in the world.

FISCAL ISSUES

In the context of the discussion, Hatzidakis reiterated the government's commitment to fiscal seriousness combined with pro-investment policies that lead to growth and rapid debt reduction, as has been the case in previous years. "It is a common sense policy, but there is always the temptation of populism," he said.