Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-01-04

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] New development to be presented this month, Econ Min says

[02] Greek capital market officials optimistic over 2016 outlook

[03] Television licensing procedure will be ready soon, State Minister Pappas says

[01] New development to be presented this month, Econ Min says

In a radio interview, Stathakis said a new development law will be simple, with adequate funds, it will focus on sectors with comparative advantage for Greece, such as a special categories of tourism, high technology, etc, offering all incentives -beyond the classic funding through subsidies- using other funding tools, it will focus on supporting youth business activity and small- and medium-sized enterprises and will offer incentives to attract foreign investments, creating a stable (but not reduced) tax status for seven years until completion of amortization.

Stathakis said the process was expected to be completed by the end of January. Commenting on public finances and a return to economic growth, the Greek minister said that better-than-expected performance as shown in the November increased revenues will allow Greece to limit an economic contraction far below 1.0 pct, from a 2.5 pct contraction estimate agreed with the country's creditors. This development will pave the way for a faster return to positive growth rates in the first half of 2016, he added.

[02] Greek capital market officials optimistic over 2016 outlook

Capital Market Commission president Chr. Gotsis said he expected 2016 to be a better year for the economy and the stock market as he expected a significant improvement in macro-economic data after the country left behind two serious risks: the risk of a haircut in bank deposits following a successful recapitalization of Greek banks and the risk of a Grexit, while an anticipated debt rescheduling could lead the Greek economy back to international capital markets. "All these could lead to a significant recovery in the stock market and the state bond market," Gotsis said.

Ioan. Georganas, chairman of the Hellenic Exchanges Group, said the Athens Stock Exchange will celebrate 140 years of operation this year and said he expected 2016 to be a better year on two preconditions: preserving political stability and controlling public finances.

Socrates Lazaridis, chairman of the Athens Stock Exchange, said that the dominant feeling in the market was optimism for 2016 over market trends. He attributed a 25 pct drop in the market last year to a decline in bank shares while non-financial shares grew 5.0 pct in 2015 and daily turnover grew 8.0 pct compared with the pessimistic scenario for the market. Lazaridis said a mobilization of investment banking was necessary to attract new companies and bonds in the market.

Theodore Fessas, president of the Federation of Hellenic Enterprises (SEB) said that the Greek economy must attract investments, mostly foreign, in 2016 to create new job positions necessary for social prosperity and peace. He noted that 2015 was the year that the Greek economy was firmly established as a Eurozone country.

Pan. Drakos, president of the Union of Listed Companies, said he was optimistic for 2016 and underlined the significance of a privatization programme currently underway.

Sp. Kyritsis, president of the Association of members of the Athens Stock Exchange expressed the hope that the recovery of the economy will begin 2016.

[03] Television licensing procedure will be ready soon, State Minister Pappas says

"The procedures for putting together the National Council for Radio and Television are fully underway and on a positive track and very soon we will have the licensing procedure, which will impose order on the television scene after 25 years," he said.

He said the law for the broadcasting media will mark a passage from "inactivity and silent consent to unaccountability," to establishing a clear set of rules, which included fees for use of frequencies, implementing tax laws for advertising and now the law on television licences.

He expressed hope that the main opposition will contribute to a speedy formation of the council for the broadcast media.

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