Bank of Greece

European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas on Tuesday stressed that the independence of central banks is safeguarded by European legislation and that member states have an obligation to respect this independence and allow central banks to do their jobs.

Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras on Tuesday called for a judicial intervention over the publication by Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis of an "unauthorized" recording of a telephone call from the latter to the former.

In an unprecedented move, Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis made public a conversation that he had surreptitiously recorded with Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras, whom he threatened because the Bank has launched an inquiry into a 100,000 euro loan that was issued to Polakis by (non-systemic) Attica Bank with unusually favourable terms for the borrower.

Lifting the last of the capital controls is expected to be at the focus of talks on Friday between Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras and the heads of the country's credit sector.

Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras on Tuesday called for a new policy mix that would boost growth and increase the credibility of the Greek economy among investors.

Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras on Wednesday issued an stern response to Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos regarding the role of the central bank and its chief.

Non-salary costs in Greece are 10 percentage points above the mean rate of members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Union, according to the Bank of Greece's intermediary monetary policy report. It also stressed that the economy has not yet returned to normal as it is has not had access to money markets in a sustainable way.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and especially the head of the IMF's European department, Poul Thomsen, was the main driver of excessive austerity in Greece's first two bailout programs, Greek central banker Yannis Stournaras said on Tuesday.

The Bank of Greece's plan for the reduction of nonperforming loans through the utilization of the deferred tax assets received provisionally positive feedback from Greek bank managers on Thursday.

Central banker Yannis Stournaras on Friday stressed the importance of the Bank of Greece's independence at an Athens conference marking its 90th anniversary.