Nikos Papathanasis

Twelve banks have expressed an interest in participating in the Third Entrepreneurship Fund (TEPIX III), a program of the Hellenic Development Bank (HDB), which will leverage around 2.4 billion euros in new loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and which starts after Easter, HDB Chief Executive Ismini Papakirillou announced on Thursday.

Greece plans to submit its request for subsidies from the Recovery Fund to the European Commission in May, announced Alternate Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis on Thursday.

He indicated that the country anticipates submitting its fifth request for loans and subsidies by the end of September or early October, aiming to bolster entrepreneurship.

Alternate Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis submitted the fourth payment request, amounting to 2.3 billion euros, for the loan part of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) to the European Commission on Wednesday.

Funds amounting to 4 billion euros have been allocated specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises, Alternate Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis said on Friday at the Delphi Economic Forum.

National Economy and Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis and his deputy Nikos Papathanasis received European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira for a meeting in Athens on Thursday.

During the meeting, an overview of the progress of projects implemented under the National Strategic Reference Framework 2014-2020 (NSRF 2014-2020) was provided.

Greece is among the leaders as regards the implementation of the national Recovery and Resilience Plan and one of just six EU member-states that has already submitted three payment requests to the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), while a fourth payment request will be submitted in April, speakers at a Foundation of Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE) conference revealed on Thursday.<

The Hellenic Development Bank (EAT) will activate the third edition of the Entrepreneurship Fund (TEPIX III), with a total budget of 500 million euros.

It aims to support entrepreneurship with loans and guarantees of a total amount of €2.2 billion through the leverage of funds from the banks as well.

The Public Investment Program, including funds disbursed by the European Union's Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), pumped €11.2 billion into the economy, Alternate Finance Minister Nikos Papathanasis said Wednesday.

Compared to the outlays projected in the 2023 budget, there was a lag due mostly to lower RRF disbursements, €2.089 billion instead of the expected €3.662 billion.

Alternate National Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Papathanasis on Friday signed a decision for the inclusion of the "Digital transformation of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO)" in the projects financed by the Recovery and Resilience Fund.

The government is facing the challenge of absorbing more than 55 billion euros for the benefit of the economy in the next four to six years from the National Strategic Reference Framework (known as ESPA) and the Recovery Fund, and the first obstacles have already emerged.