Greece marks National Day
Ambassador of Greece to Korea Dionisios Sourvanos contributed the below article on the occasion of his country’s National Day. — ED.
Over almost two centuries of independence that began in 1821, Greece has gradually consolidated its borders, joined important international organizations — such as the U.N., NATO and the European Union (EU) — and played a key role in southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Greece, through time and even more now, remains an island of stability in a troubled wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. Its foreign policy in this difficult period aims to be proactive and multidimensional, building bridges, opening new channels of communication and cooperation, venturing down new avenues and exploring all possibilities around the world.
Hit by a serious economic crisis, Greece has finally managed to stabilize its public finances and improve its competitiveness through drastic economic reforms, including recapitalization of the Greek banking system.
Greece is negotiating with eurozone partners an evaluation of its progress in economic stabilization and structural reform to continue receiving EU financial aid. We soon expect a positive outcome that will open the way for Greece’s participation in the Euro- pean Central Bank’s quantitative easing policy. As a result, the country’s borrowing cost will fall significantly and there will be more liquidity available in the Greek banking system.
Greece is on the way to end its financial difficulties towards a new era of sustainable development. I believe that this is the right time for Korean companies to invest in Greece and take advantage of business opportunities in vital sectors such as energy, environment, telecommunications, maritime technologies, banking, tourism and others.
The lively and continuous interest of the Korean people in everything related to Greece is proudly manifested by the successful presence of the Greek Studies Department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, which features a four-year program of studies covering — in addition to modern Greek — Greek history and literature, thus transforming several hundred Korean students into ambassadors of Greece in the Land of the Morning Calm.
Finally, tourism is the largest industry in the Greek economy. It accounts for 15 percent of GDP and employs 16.5 percent of the workforce. Greece has magnificent natural beauty and unique historic and cultural treasures that make it a very attractive tourist destination. I most certainly invite Koreans to visit our beautiful country for a most memorable experience to cherish forever.