
“Three and a half years later, the numbers speak for themselves. More than 220 major projects have been auctioned for a total amount of 2.3 billion euros, more than 400 million in aid, more than 700 million in PPP and within the next six months we will have another 600 million in tenders”. This was stated by the Minister of State and Digital Governance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, among others, in his speech at the Association of Informatics & Communications Companies of Greece – SEPE’s Digital Economy Forum, underlining the importance of the Recovery Fund.
The Recovery Fund
Mr. Pierrakakis emphasized: “We started doing what is described as a gap analysis, that is, what is the gap per Ministry, per service. How many fundamental systems are missing and how much money do we have to cover this investment? You realize that before the Recovery Fund the needs were many times the possibilities and therefore extremely violent choices should have been made between the versions of the necessary. Then came the Recovery Fund, the corona virus and it allowed us to finance all of ehat was necessary and to enter the realm of what was desired.”
The challenges
Referring to the challenges for the future he emphasized that these are many: the first challenge is to complete the Recovery Fund, which is a “Marshall Plan” for the country. To auction all the projects within set schedules and this will be done in the coming months.
“But I would say more broadly this Fund, this project reminds of what happened in the country after the Second World War and the Civil War at a time when there were no roads, roads were built and where there were no ports, ports were built. Digital infrastructures are now being built everywhere where digital infrastructures did not exist or are being renewed or expanded. So this must be done and it will be done. And from there on we must not miss any trains. “The secret clamor of approaching events” says the poet. We must not fear the clamor of events to come. You either plan the future or live with it,” he emphasized.
The great battle of the coming years will be to do all this plus one more thing which is absolutely strategic: skills. Education systems everywhere need to be redesigned. They were set up in terms of a life expectancy of 60 years and a three-phase life: education, work, retirement and a career. In the previous generation for a bachelor’s degree, in my generation for a master’s degree, in my children’s generation it will be skills. Life expectancy will reach one hundred years, as it increases by one year every four years, with the exception of the small bracket of Covid-19.


Latest News

Public Services in Greece to Go Under Review with New Rating Tool
Public services will receive their evaluation scores and feedback directly, fostering a system of accountability and continuous improvement.

Istanbul Earthquake – Greek Prof. Concerned Major Quake Yet to Strike
Responding to concerns over whether a potential major quake in Istanbul could affect Greece, Papazachos was reassuring: “The fault extends as far as Lemnos and the Northern Sporades, but it doesn’t rupture all at once. An earthquake in Istanbul doesn’t have the capacity to directly affect Greek territory.”

Greece 4th Most Popular Summer Destination for Europeans
Southern Europe remains the top choice for Europeans at 41%, though down 8% from last year, likely due to rising temperatures and climate concerns.

Easter Sales Performance and the Source of €4–5 Million in Losses
Easter retail sales were relatively weak this year, with the only "real winners" being the livestock farmers who had lambs to sell.

Hotel Foreclosures Continue to Plague Greece’s Islands
A surge in hotel foreclosures across Greece’s islands threatens small tourism businesses, despite booming visitor numbers and record-breaking travel in 2024.

Athens Launches Task Force to Safeguard Historic City Center
The new municipal unit will ensure compliance to zoning laws, curb noise, and address tourist rental issues starting from the Plaka district.

WTTC: Travel & Tourism to Create 4.5M New Jobs in EU by 2035
This year, international visitor spending is set to reach 573 billion euros, up by more than 11% year-on-year

IMF: US Tariffs Shake Global Economy, Outlook Downbeat
IMF slashes global growth forecast to 2.8% as U.S. tariffs create uncertainty and ‘negative supply shock

First Step Towards New Audiovisual Industry Hub in Drama
The project is set to contribute to the further development of Greece’s film industry and establish Drama as an audiovisual hub in the region

Airbnb Greece – Initial CoS Ruling Deems Tax Circular Unlawful
The case reached the Council of State following annulment applications filed by the Panhellenic Federation of Property Owners (POMIDA)