“Especially in times like this, capital goes where it feels safe. Greece is a pillar of stability, not only from a geostrategic point of view and its credibility is indisputable as a necessary ally in the region, but also in terms of investment climate, its debt got investment grade, foreign direct investments are at a record level, its borrowing rates are lower than the counterparts of Italy and the USA, unemployment has dropped to 10% and continues to fall”, emphasized the US ambassador, George Tsounis, from the floor of the 7th Energy Forum for SE Europe, which is being held today in Thessaloniki.

The above remark was made by the US ambassador, George Tsounis, from the floor of the 7th Energy Forum for SE Europe, answering the question whether American companies will continue to invest in Greece in the current situation with the new outbreak of war in Gaza, and he even added that as a businessman he would be “very very enthusiastic” to invest in Greece and that he considers investments in Greece as one of the most attractive situations today and not only in tourism.
“This country is blessed with brilliant educated people. The most important thing in business is intellectual capital,” he added and then expressed the assessment that “you will see large companies from all over the world wanting to move fixed assets from Europe, maybe even the Middle East, to Greece.”

Energy security – one of the main topics of the conference – according to the US ambassador is of great importance, not only to keep the lights on, but it is primarily a matter of national security but also a matter of economy and he added that Greece wants to develop , it needs energy and we need to reduce the cost of energy and ensure that energy sources are secure.

Adding to the energy equation also the parameter of climate change and crisis, which as he emphasized is present and present, he praised Greece both for its great speed in its independence from lignite in the last five-six years, even characterizing it as example, as well as for its role in RES and especially in LNG as a country that helps its neighbors, stressing that last winter it acted as a responsible ally towards neighboring Bulgaria and now it also provides energy to Moldova and this, he added, shows that the country is strengthened economically and geostrategically.

Furthermore, Mr. Tsounis called on our country to continue the digitization of services, stressing that it has made great progress in this area and the simplification of bureaucracy and characterized the Greek Government as a stable Government, with self-confidence.

Organizers of the 7th Energy Forum for SE Europe are the Hellenic-American Chamber and the Hellenic Energy Economy Association (HAEE) in collaboration with the US Embassy in Greece and in strategic collaboration with the Atlantic Council and the Energy Institute of the American Chamber of Commerce.

Here is a video of a statement made by the US ambassador as he left the Forum: