In an era when the economic crisis in Greece is incarnated in our everyday life, the Economic Forum of Thrace raising the public debate on this issue organized the 2nd Financial Conference of Thrace, with a cultural background.
The topic of the Conference was incorporated in the following phrases:
“Greek crisis”, “Greece at crossroads: the one and only opportunity for economic, social and cultural catharsis.”
The Conference was held on 27 of May 2011, in Alexandroupolis, at the congress center of “Thraki Palace Hotel”.
About two hundred participants, twenty speakers including economists, bankers, journalists and businessmen discussed at a high level about the Greek financial crisis.
Some of the most interesting aspects of the speakers, during the interactive part of the Congress on May 27, are attached to this press release.
• Dr. Hans Beeg, lawyer and notary, expert in tax law in Germany, proposed to Greece, as a solution to the economic problems, the adoption of a currency similar to what was adopted by Germany in the interwar period. The “renten drachma” respective to “renten Mark” (is the coin minted by Germany in 1923 to stop hyperinflation, cutting both as cash equal to the value of the estate of the German state) is the currency to be adopted by Greece, according to Mr. Beeg.
• Dr. Claus Meyer-Cording, economist, expert in Eurobonds (bonds European States), expressing his personal views, said that the causes of the problems of the economic crisis in Greece are the overvalued Euro and the global economic crisis. He added that if Europe wants to have a single currency, then must help countries that have problems to become more competitive.
• Mr. Martin Knapp, President of the German-Greek Chamber of Commerce and Industry, vividly stated that Greece’s image abroad has been compromised and will need time to have access to actual lenders and not to speculators. According to Mr. Knapp we all have made the creditworthiness of the country a supreme national asset, which is a “showcase”. And what happens today, according to Mr. Knapp is that in the global market, Europe and North America have lost the technological lead that had for five hundred years while maintaining the high standard of living, with borrowed money. In this situation, Greece is the country that broke the “front” and therefore considered the “bad guy of the group,” says meaningfully. Finally, he added, that even Germany has a massive debt that will not be ever paid up.
• Mr. Charalambos Mazarakis, chief finance director for the National Bank of Greece noted that Greece has lost its national target and that is a handicap spot and foreign entrepreneurs see in our country.
• Mr. Constantinos Lambrinopoulos, chairman of the board of the Greek Management Association, spoke about the need to reduce the deficit even with sacrifices in order to radically change the behavior of the market on the borrowing of the country.
On the first day of the Conference, on 26 May, during the opening of the Conference, the Economic Forum of Thrace and the Consulate General of Federal Republic of Germany in Thessaloniki organized a concert of classical music with the “Karlsruher Konzert-Duo”, two excellent artists from Germany, the pianist Dagmar Hartmann and the cellist Reinhard Armleder. Co-organizers of the concert were the Municipality of Alexandroupolis and the Conservatory “Phaethon”.
On the last day of the Conference, on 28 May, the Economic Forum of Thrace, keeping the second component of the title of Congress “with cultural background”, offered to the participants of the Conference a trip to Samothraki. The energy of the island, the smile of the locals along with traditional dancing, charmed the Greek and foreign visitors.
The Economic Forum of Thrace, staying true to its goal, the emergence and the development of Thrace, will continue to work hard and promote the pure networking and lobbying and to welcome each one of you separately in a constructive dialogue on the healthy business development.
* Photographs of the Conference are available on our website at www.economicforumofthrace.org.
* For further information, please contact us at the following telephone numbers and email addresses.
Tel: 0030 25510 81122
Mob.: 6951 819 481, 6941 545 351
E-mail: efofthraceassistance@gmail.com, efofthraceoffice@gmail.com
