“Nothing will prevent the country’s exit from close surveillance and its return to economic normality,” government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said on Thursday, during the regular press briefing. He noted that this will be the Greek government’s main target in the 97 days between now and the Eurogroup on June 21, where the government expects to conclude the discussion underway on the fourth programme review, post-programme surveillance and measures to east Greek debt.
The successful issue of a one-year T-bill on Wednesday, the first such issue since 2010, was “yet another step forward” on the path towards exiting surveillance and regaining independent access to the markets after August, Tzanakopoulos said.
“The issue of the T-bill confirms the Greek government’s position that the Greek economy is making a dynamic recovery and that the trust of the international markets is being restored,” the spokesman commented.
Tzanakopoulos also attacked main opposition New Democracy (ND) and former prime minister Antonis Samaras over their stance on the Novartis case, while calling on Bank of Greece (BoG) governor Yannis Stournaras to reveal whether there were any additional contracts that he has signed with Novartis or whether he has or has had privileged access to top Novartis executives.