Hatzidakis: Limited Impact on Economy if Ceasefire in Middle East is Enforced

If the attacks cease – something that remains to be confirmed as we are discussing a region with a long history of multiple conflicts – the impact on the Greek economy will be limited, emphasized Deputy Prime Minister Hatzidakis in an interview with the OPEN TV station regarding developments in the Middle East. Specifically, Mr. Hatzidakis noted that ‘there will be some stabilization in oil prices. A more significant issue could arise in tourism because we have hundreds of thousands of tourists from Israel each year, many of whom have canceled their trips. We will see what happens in the coming days; if there is stabilization and a greater sense of security, then hopefully the year, which started very well, will continue positively.’ In any case, he underscored that market controls will continue decisively until the situation stabilizes, as any increases in international prices should not be immediately passed on at the pumps. Expressing the position of the Greek government, Mr. Hatzidakis pointed out that the goal in this region is peace. ‘From the start, we made it clear that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons, but we also clarified – as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council – that the response is not war but restraint and finding a peaceful and sustainable solution,’ he added. Regarding the OPEKEPE scandal, the Deputy Prime Minister stressed: ‘We will not hide anything, nor allow suspicions to run rampant, but we need to read the indictment first. Where there is documented suspicion, further investigation will take place. But we will not engage in witch hunts. Trials are already underway nationally for various officials who appear to have received illegal subsidies, and in all these cases, we will exhaust all legal possibilities.’ He noted that Greece has faced penalties for this issue before, dating back to the 1980s, with financial corrections imposed during both PASOK and SYRIZA administrations. This problem is not uniquely Greek but more acute in Mediterranean countries, with investigations currently being conducted by the European prosecutor in 17 countries. Lastly, regarding the fires in Chios, the Deputy Prime Minister described an unusual situation, given the numerous fronts in just a few hours, adding: ‘I do not wish to jump to conclusions, but this is a fact. It goes without saying that the state mechanism was mobilized from the first moment.’