Greece Appoints Advisors to Privatize State Controlled Institutions

An inter-ministerial privatization commission meeting on Friday agreed to appoint two to three advisors to examine the Greek state’s future moves in the country’s banking system and to adopt a more efficient management policy of the state’s real estate property.
The commission comprised Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou, Economy, Competitiveness and Shipping Minister Louka Katseli, Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister Tina Birbili, Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Minister Dimitris Reppas and Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos.
Speaking to reporters, after the meeting, finance minister Papaconstantinou said the advisors will evaluate the state’s equity holdings in the Greek banking system, particularly in ATEbank and TT-Hellenic Postbank before making their recommendations for a more efficient exploitation of these holdings.
Economy Minister Katseli stressed that the government will ask its advisors for a recommendation over a possible strengthening of the state’s presence in banks with alternative scenarios. Papaconstantinou said the government was examining all possible moves over the issue while he declined to comment on the results of Europe-wide stress tests on banks, which were due to be released later in the day.
Papaconstantinou said a new inter-ministerial commission will be set up – comprising ministry secretaries-general, the State Real Estate Enterprise and the Tourism Development Enterprise- to resolve institutional issues.
(source: ana-mpa)