You must be kidding, US Ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt

Letta Kalamara

Published 13 Jul 2018

US Ambassador in Greece Geoffrey R. Paytt reffered to Greece yesterday as "open for investments" under Alexis Tsipras leadership. This happened during an update of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce on the occassion of the 83rd Thessaloniki Internationall Fair (8-16 Sep. 2018) (https://www.naftemporiki.gr/finance/story/1370934/paiat-i-ellada-anoixti-stis-ependuseis). An event in Macedonia where Greek PM traditionally informs his nation and any potential foreign investors of his financial policy annually.

US Ambassador Jeffrey Paytt, appointed by previous US Administration and a strong supporter of GR PM Alexis Tsipras and his policies, has forgotten obviously the stale status of investments in Greece the last three years under "Radical Lefts" ruling. Disparaging cases like the Elliniko large investemnet in Athens, worth of 8bn euro and a real game changer for Greek economy (https://thehellinikon.com/en) as well as the Canadian ELDORADO company investment in Macedonia (https://www.hellas-gold.com) have been stalled the last three years somewhere between Greek courts and goverment. Big examples how Greece could reach high levels of growth and exceed a disgraceful "brand name" in the last decade.

In any way, if Ambassador Payat says so something more he knows and we are expecting to show us all succesful and welcomed investments in Greece during the last three years. Moreover, as he refers rarelly to the huge EastMed pipeline energy investment connecting Israel, Cyprus and Greece so as to differentiate Europe's dependancy on Russia his view on the topic is more than welcomed. The same goes for PM Alexis Tsipras and Greece benefits from this project that are still unknown.

Greece is open to investments indeed but crucial reforms and mainly corruption decrease is more than needed beforehand, in our humble view (https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2017).