Structured finance

The government is offering the opportunity for tax debtors to rejoin any arrangements that they did not keep up with in the past. In particular, they can rejoin the permanent regulation of 24 to 48 tranches, the special provisions of the pandemic and the energy crisis (72 installments), as well as the arrangements of 100 and 120 tranches.

The housing market has recently evolved into one of the most profitable investments, with a return of up to 126% during the last five years (2017-2022).

Those brave enough to acquire an apartment in Attica during 2017 - i.e. when the real estate market began its recovery - are today the big winners, as they have seen the value of their investment more than double.

"1.8% - this is the optimistic option for the growth of the economy. The Bulgarian National Bank, for example, predicts 0.4% growth. This is a positive realistic option. There are also options with a recession, which are even more frightening.

Τhe platform for the repayment of outstanding debts to the state, the national social insurance agency (EFKA) and tax authorities in 72-120 installments will open by Friday, Finance Minister Christos Staikouras told Skai TV on Saturday. 

Greece returned to a primary surplus in 2022, the Parliamentary Budget Office stated on Thursday in its report for the fourth quarter of 2022, based on the common European rules (European system of Accounts, or ESA) methodology, which is the only valid record after the end of enhanced surveillance.

Credit Suisse said yesterday it would pay $495 million as part of a deal reached with U.S. prosecutors in a long-running dispute over mortgage-backed securities, settling one of the last legal cases dating back to the 2008 financial crisis.    

Yapı Kredi, Turkey's third-largest private lender, announced on May 21 it had successfully inked a $962 million syndicated loan agreement for the first half of the year with the participation of 42 banks from 20 countries.

The criteria for the state subsidy program for business loans taken out by companies battered by the pandemic will be discussed in conference calls the Finance Ministry will have with European Union officials next week.

Loans whose repayments have been frozen due to the pandemic add up to 30 billion euros, concerning some 400,000 individual and corporate borrowers, according to the Hellenic Bank Association. The moratorium on tranche payments expires on March 31.

Taxpayers and companies with debts to the state have until Thursday to apply for re-entering the payment plans of 100-120 tranches, and must also pay December's installment.

The tranches missed as a result of the pandemic - from March up to November - will be added after the end of the debt settlement program.