Australia is ready to help Greece during the current economic crisis. This was the message given by Australian Ambassador to Greece Jenny Bloomfield at the opening event of the Greece-Australia Business Council.

She added that Australia is at Greece’s side at this difficult conjuncture and supports the efforts for the economy’s restructuring that is of mutual benefit. The positive sentiment was echoed by Alternative Finance Minister Christos Staikouras who told the business council there is ground for optimism for Greece’s exit from the crisis.

Staikouras referred in particular to the qualitative improvement of the chapter of Greece’s reliability that is being observed lately as well to the satisfactory implementation of the budget despite the great recession. He also referred to positive events such as the gradual return of deposits, the speeding up being observed in the programme on utilising the public sector’s property through a series of tenders that are under way, as well as to efforts for the creation of strong bank formations Central Union of Chambers of Commerce and of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry Constantine Mihalos, addressed the event of the Greece-Australia Business Council titled “Targets, Actions and Business Initiatives”.

“The Greece-Australia Business Council, apart from its contribution to the strengthening of bilateral economic relations between the two countries, can function as an agent of a positive message, with wider importance for our country. It can promote the extroversive, the dynamic, the creative part of Greece. The businesses that dare to open themselves beyond borders, which develop and produce value for themselves, for their associates, for the Greek economy,” said Mr Mihalos.

The Greece-Australia Business Council is a new agency that was created with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of the bilateral economic relations and business cooperation between the two countries “in an era in which Greece is waging the battle for the exit from the crisis and for the restoration of its international image, the founding of this new agency is very important,” Mihalos said.

Bilateral relations between Greece and Australia are currently at a very satisfactory level, with examples of cooperation in such sectors as shipping, food, and renewable energy sources. However, considerable ground still exists for widening and deepening bilateral cooperation in the sectors of the green economy, energy and food trade with emphasis on Mediterranean food products.