Spring is in the air, and its warmer weather, sunshine, and flower-scented air make us all happier and more optimistic. It is a season that lifts our spirits, energizes and makes us more hopeful. And that’s a state of mind we must hold on to if we want to keep successfully overcoming challenges and striving for a more positive future—particularly, for us in Greece, as we find ourselves welcoming spring with the lingering bitterness of the February 28 disaster, in the aftermath of which, public grief was compounded by revelations of deep-rooted issues that persist despite the country’s considerable efforts—and significant achievements—over the past years. These issues must finally be acknowledged and properly addressed if we are ever to leap rather than stumble forward.
Greece is entering the final straight to the May 21 election, with hope that rational discussion will prevail, focused on real, relevant issues and meaningful policies and guided by a clear sense of duty and responsibility. Critical issues include tax evasion, justice system reform, and separation and independence of executive power and the state mechanism from political parties. And of course, transparency, ethics, assessment and meritocracy, and equality across all levels of society must be prioritized if we hope to truly progress.
To move forward, Greece must set clear goals for the immediate future to guide the country onto a sustainable and substantial growth trajectory. We must invest in further upgrading infrastructure, including transportation and networks, accelerating digital transformation, enhancing the investment framework, boosting competitiveness, modernizing education and interlinking it with the real economy, and attracting and maintaining a large and competent workforce. Not least, we must address the longstanding issues contributing to Greece’s declining birth rate and create the conditions to lead to its reversal.
There are many challenges on the road ahead, and we must face them in a local and global environment that is increasingly volatile. To succeed, we must be adaptable, resilient and vigilant, tempering wariness with optimism and hopefulness. Consider the rapid and unchecked development of AI and the technology’s potential to transform the world: Are we able and also sufficiently prepared to cope with the implications of emerging innovative tech? How do we reap the benefits of these technologies while also safeguarding the fundamentals of our humanity and society? What does caution look like in the process of openly embracing the future?
From reform to future tech, these questions and topics are at the heart of AmChamGR’s activities in the coming time. True to our motto, we are a Chamber committed to broadening horizons and opening new paths.
ELIAS SPIRTOUNIAS
Executive Director
