Greece’s Ministry of National Economy and Finance published Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis’s opening speech at the 8th Athens Investment Forum, outlining an economic policy agenda built around higher investment, stronger exports, rising productivity and a shift to a new productive model, alongside a call to accelerate decision-making and implementation. The speech tied these priorities to the draft 2026 budget, including a 2.4% growth forecast for 2026. The minister attributed 0.6 percentage points of the 2.4% forecast to measures announced by the Prime Minister at the Thessaloniki International Fair, described as a major tax reform focused on demographics and the middle class. On investment, he cited an increase from 11% of GDP in 2019 to a projected 18% in the 2026 draft budget, while noting the European average is around 21%; he also said foreign direct investment from 2019 to 2024 matched the total from 2002 to 2018. Exports were cited at 42% of GDP versus around 20% when Greece entered the 2008 crisis and a European average of 51%, with an indicative benchmark of 60% suggested for Greece; the Recovery Fund was flagged as ending after the end of next year, while the draft budget was described as providing the largest Public Investment Programme in Greece’s history. Beyond public investment, the speech argued for “private catalysts” to leverage public resources and for more dynamic use of state assets, including seeking strategic investors and incorporating geopolitical considerations in the management of the Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations’ portfolio. It also pointed to continued digitisation of public services (2,200 of an estimated 5,500 services), further permitting reform linked to the EU debate on a “28th regime”, and a forthcoming law to be submitted to Parliament in the coming weeks concerning the assets of inactive charitable foundations.

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