Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis began the press briefing on Monday with a reference to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ trip to San Francisco, where the premier will have meetings with high-tech companies and Greeks active in Silicon Valley, as part of his visit to the United States for the 81st high-level session of the UN General Assembly.

“During his stay in New York, Mitsotakis will take part in a roundtable with more than 30 institutional investors with exposure to Greece and major Greek companies. He will also meet with the heads and senior executives of major international financial institutions, with international developments in energy, defence, technology and services among the key issues on the agenda,” he added.

The prime minister, he said, will highlight the progress made by the Greek economy, fiscal stability and the advancement of reforms, which have contributed to higher investment and strong performance in attracting foreign direct investment.

The government spokesperson stressed that, despite the international uncertainty caused by developments in the Middle East, the Greek economy continues to receive positive assessments from international rating agencies and enjoys the confidence of the markets. He noted that two positive developments were recorded within a single day, with Scope Ratings upgrading Greece’s credit rating and Moody’s upgrading the country’s outlook from stable to positive while leaving its rating unchanged. He also said this was the third positive assessment of Greece’s outlook by an international rating agency in about a month, linking the developments to fiscal performance, the decline in public debt and the resilience of the economy.

Marinakis also referred to the return of the Athens stock exchange – now named Euronext Athens – to developed-market status after 13 years, noting that the move broadens the country’s investor base, strengthens its ability to attract international capital and creates more financing options for businesses. He stressed that the credibility built up can serve as a springboard for further investment and reforms, with the aim of raising productivity, creating better-paid jobs and boosting incomes.

He then referred to the new, strengthened framework for protecting primary residences through the out-of-court debt settlement mechanism, which has come into force, noting that it provides for greater debt reductions and lower monthly instalments, as only the value of the primary residence is taken into account when calculating the restructuring. He stressed that following the final signing of the restructuring agreement, any enforcement action, auction or application for interim measures against the primary residence is prohibited, provided the terms of the arrangement are observed.