ENGLISH EDITION

On the "challenges" included in the report, the governor of the Bank of Greece pointed out that the fiscal discipline should continue and the target for primary surplus reduced, "always in consultation with our partners".

Every time there is heavy rain in Mandra, west of Athens, factories close down their machinery, to avoid causing damages to their equipment worth millions of euros, due to the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator's (HEDNO) dated power network.

Greece's privatizations fund HRADF is aiming for revenues of 2.4 billion euros in 2020 by selling 20 percent of the Athens International Airport (AIA), a stake in Hellenic Petroleum (ELPE) and 100 percent of gas company DEPA's commercial and infrastructure operations.

Among market sectors, Real Estate (5.74 pct) and Telecoms (3.16 pct) scored big gains, while Travel (0.62 pct) and Trade (0.36 pct) suffered losses.

The country's lenders are currently limited to eight billion euros of investments in Greek government bonds. The cap was introduced after the huge losses incurred by banks from a debt write off deal imposed on private sector bondholders in 2012 by the Greek government. 

According to finance ministry data, the primary surplus in the January-November 2019 period amounted to 6.945 billion euros against a target of 4.715 billion euros. Net budget revenues amounted to 48.429 billion euros, up by 380 million euros or 0.8 pct compared with the revised target for 2019.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kostas Fragogiannis spoke of "new strategic investments by the foreign ministry and Enterprise Greece in full coordination with the ministry of development and investments, the ministry of [environment and energy] and the ministry of tourism".

Euromonitor International says that it sees the number of tourists reaching Greek shores next year as easing 2 percent to 31.7 million, versus 32.4 million in 2019. This pushes Greece's target for another record year in 2020 out of range as concerns also grow that the sector may not play the crucial role needed to help the economy expand by an ambitious 2.8 percent, as forecast by the government.

Greece's Public Power Corporation (PPC) is set to unveil its new business plan on Monday, with an ambitious set of goals that include cutting its reliance on coal, a 5,000 person headcount reduction and a shift towards renewable power. The state-controlled company will shed light on issues such as the amount of capital needed to complete these targets and where it will get the money from.

"We are strengthening our relationship with the business community of Qatar interesting in investing in Greece, and initiating an approach to the country's political leadership," the minister said to Greek press during the forum's second and last day.