While Jean-Claude Juncker announced in European Parliament that the preferential loans towards businesses will be doubled from 317 billion to 630 billion euros, the Greek government is in negotiations with the troika, missing yet another opportunity. We say the trains go by, as if the liquidity shortage in the economy is no problem.
The government is insisting upon the political negotiations, rather than trying to close some of the open fronts and catch a breath from the Draghi or Juncker aid packages. So long as the review does not conclude, the country will be missing out on resources that could change the climate in the declining economy.
There are about 9 billion euros left to collect from the third bailout, but the government does not seem to be in a rush. Little money has also been drawn from the first Juncker package and few businesses have benefited from the agreement, since it took about a year to activate it. Indicatively, the government submitted its first list of 42 projects for 5.4 billion euros in May.
The case is similar with NSRF funding, as only 2.4% of the 20 billion euros Greece is entitled to until 2020 has been used. That is because there are no investment programs and projects that are mature enough. The lack of planning, indifference, bureaucracy and the lack of a political will prevent Greece from taking advantage of all of these European initiatives.
Despite Prime Minister Tsipras declaring every so often that he desires to change Europe, he is unable to carry out simpler, more obvious tasks. When he cannot convince his Ministers and party officers to take advantage of what is being offered by the EU, it is clear that he no change in European policy will save us…
TO VIMA
