THESSALONIKI — Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will present the government's plan for the support of Greek economy, society and businesses on September 12, at the Thessaloniki International Fair's political and economic forum, the Greek Premier announced on Thursday, speaking at Thessaloniki.

Mitsotakis' statement came after meeting with representatives of productive enterprises and scientific bodies involved with large infrastructural projects and public works in the broader Thessaloniki region and northern Greece.

He then referred to the data released Thursday by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), and which estimate that recession in Greece in the second quarter of 2020 will be of the order of 15.2 pct, and he noted that although a high figure, as he said, "the government remains fully aware of the difficulties that the Greek economy is going through."

"From the first moment, this government stood by the needs of Greek workers and of Greek businesses, with a package of measures which was constantly adapted as the pandemic was evolving," he elaborated.

Comparing ELSTAT's recession figures with those of other EU member states, he said that current recessionary rates in Spain stand at 22 pct, in France at 19 pct and in Italy at 17.3 pct.

Mitsotakis expressed the hope that in 2021 "we will have finally left behind this crisis and have laid the foundations for a robust development," underlining that "we will definitely get out of the crisis only when an effective treatment or a vaccine for the coronavirus is found."