Greece seeks local buyers for vast privatization bids
ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency
A hotel at the Greek island of Santorini is seen in this file photo.
Greece is looking to privatize various national assets and is looking for Turkish customers as well as other foreign investors at the “Privatization, Acquisitions and Job Opportunities” meeting in Athens today.After Greece’s rescue package, Greek officials are seeking longer-term solutions by looking to Turkey for customers for their slated privatization items, according to an announcement released by Turkey’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK). Greece plans to privatize land, factories and tourist facilities including hotels.
The meeting will cover Greece’s structural reforms and macroeconomic regulations as well as future plans including privatizations in the energy, infrastructure and real estate sectors as well as opportunities for foreign investors.
Meanwhile, Russian Gazprom has expressed interest in the privatization of Greece’s natural gas firm DEPA.
“Like other international companies, we too are interested in DEPA’s privatization, but buying assets abroad is not a target that stands on its own, but rather a tool for creating added value,” said Gazprom officials, adding feasibility studies would need to be carried out in a very methodological, rational and economic fashion prior to any acquisition.
The meeting was organized by DEİK, the Turkish-Greek Business Council, the Greek Entrepreneurs Federation (SEV) and the Young Manager and Businessmen Foundation (GYİAD).
