“2018 will be a very important year for Greece and the Greek economy, which has a huge opportunity to leave the past behind”, the President of the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce, Simos Anastasopoulos, said late on Monday.

He estimated that the US participation as an honoured country in the 83rd Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) may be a key point in the country’s effort to attract investments and adopt a new development model. This development, he added, can start from northern Greece.

Addressing the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce, Anastasopoulos pointed out that this year’s event took place in a much better environment than in the previous years and added: “After the conclusion of the programme review, the fiscal adjustment and the primary surpluses, the country has a tremendous opportunity to leave the past behind. Nothing is obvious, of course, and work has not yet finished (…) Continuing the reforms, however difficult they may be, and with budgetary discipline, we have the opportunity to change Greece.”

Anastasopoulos said that attracting investments requires the effort and the strength of everyone and the participation of the US as an honoured country in TIF may be a key point. “Growth can begin from northern Greece and set the example for all the healthy forces of the country to create something new that will bring growth and well-paid jobs in the country. It is not by chance that this effort (TIF) has the support of the US and the Greek government,” he said adding that the presence of the Minister for Digital Policy, Information and Media Nikos Pappas and the US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt is important.

“With Mr Pyatt’s permission, I would like to say two words about his commitment, the US commitment and President Trump’s commitment to the TIF. There is commitment. Commitment to help Greece develop, commitment to change, to bring here the investors that we need so much (…) Mr Pyatt’s actions, along with those of Minister Pappas, were the ones that made the US honored country at the 2018 TIF. And this will be the beginning for the development and the prospect that this country has,” Anastasopoulos concluded.