«Crete is in the centre of the interest of American funds for the creation of a casino and a hotel complex in the Prefecture of Herakleion-Crete», underlined in an interview that gave to «In-On» magazine the President of the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Giannos Grammatidis).
Crete -he clarified- is a special place which is not exploited to its best, concerning industry, handicraft and tourism.
More specifically, regarding the field of tourism, he mentioned that «more units should be created so as to have multi-tourism. That means that apart from the units that receive tourists during summer months, we should have others that operate all year round».
Crete -he continued- can create its own «Brand name» in many business fields and trace a dynamic business route. For this to be done, we should have the consent of all local communities through a development program that all prefects have agreed upon.
However, apart from Crete -he stressed- Macedonia has also caught the attention of American businesspeople, who in order to proceed to investments, wish a simplification in the official authorization of loan raised procedures. For this reason, the issue of the Zone of Innovation should proceed. More analytically, it is referred to the simplification of investment procedures that have to be decided by the Greek government so as action commences and piloting from the region of North Greece starts.
According to the record files of the president, in order to promote the projects of the foreign investors, the structural rigidity of the Greek government regarding Greek economy and state administration should stop under Greek government’s legislative regulations, offering, therefore, a structural land-plan. More specifically, the main forms of rigidity refer bureaucracy and the chaotic procedures of official authorization concerning loan raised procedures of an investment.
He continued that it needs national and political agreement as well as to project Greece as a reliable partner for investment in the Balkan Region.
Also, Mr. Grammatidis referred to the huge growth of the Greek enterprises in North America and Canada such as the Titan, η Creta Farm, Corres, Mailis group etc.
Referring to the international economic crisis, Mr. President underlined that «Greece is already in the beginning of the biggest international crisis of post-war era. Pressure will be more intense during 2009, when it will reach its peak remaining according to more optimistic predictions until the first semester of 2010. The crisis –he referred – is due to worsen because of two serious factors:
– The Greek banks are exposed to the dangers that the economies of the countries in South-East Europe face, due to the international crisis since they have a great deal of subsidiary banks and branches there.
– The structural rigidity of the Greek economy Reforms should continue at a sustained rate -he said – so as to remove the structural rigidity and weaknesses of the political machinery and Greek economy. In this framework, it becomes necessary to design and implement a at least ten-year reorganization and reconstruction program of the Greek economy focusing on the modernization of the taxation system so as Greece is upgraded to an attractive investing destination.
CURRICULUM VITAE
He is the Coordinator Attorney of the Law Offices Bahas, Grammatidis & Partners – Visitor Professor of the Centre of International Legal Studies, Salzburg.
Born: Larissa 12th May 1952, Member of the Bar of Athens,1977 and Attorney-at-law at the Supreme Court of Appeal. He has 2 children, George and Maria-Christina. Studies: Qualified attorney of the Law Department of the Law School in the University of Athens, Academy of International Justice in Hague, International Institute of Human Rights, Staatsburg. Directors: Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce, (Member of the Board of Directors Executive Committee and President of the Committee of State Affairs), Hellenic-British Chamber of Commerce, Hellenic-Albanian Chamber of Commerce, Business Greek Association Hong-Kong, Southwestern Legal Foundation, Dallas, U.S.A., Anglo-Hellenic Legal Union, Λονδίνο (President, 1988), Institute of European Law in the University of Birmingham, Association of Franchise of Greece (Legal adviser 1994-2007), The Propeller Club of New York Piraeus Branch (Member of the Board of Directors 1998-2007). Correspondent: Magazine of Fair Distribution and Franchising United Kingdom. Languages: Greek, English, French.