Greece is set to appeal to its diaspora communities to help build the country out of debt.
Australian MP Maria Vamvakinou, in Greece last week for meetings with various Greek parliamentarians, told Neos Kosmos of the upcoming plans, which have not yet been officially announced. “There are a couple of projects and ideas that the Greek state has that will help them raise funds to meet their debt, that I believe will involve the diaspora potentially, especially around building and construction,” she said.
“They will be looking for tenders from developers and Australia has huge capacity in that area, and especially within the Greek community.
“There’s a lot of people of Greek background who are involved in development, small and large. So these are ways in which perhaps the diaspora can become involved.” Ms Vamvakinou expressed optimism for Greece, saying that with courage and creativity, there is the potential for recovery from the economic disaster that has rocked the country.
“At the moment in Greece they’re at an incredible crossroads and with a bit of creativity and courage there are opportunities for them, and those opportunities can be found also amongst the diaspora communities that are living in countries that are well established, and Australia is one of them,” she said. The Greek government plan has been welcomed by Greeks in Australia.
Nick Mylonas, President of the Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HACCI) said any opportunities to assist Greece in its recovery would certainly be considered by Australian Greeks, though he also expressed some reservations.
“There is no doubt that Hellenes of the diaspora are of the most patriotic, however, there has always been division as to the manner in which Greece has been governed and how the Greek economy has been managed for many decades,” Mr Mylonas said. “That said, I believe that Greek-Australians would carefully consider any plan to invest in Greece as our patriotism for the mother land runs very deep,” he said. “Let us not forget, that in such troubled times, great windows of opportunity are born.”
