With Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras vowing to roll out the red carpet for foreign investors to help the country get out of a crushing economic crisis, bureaucratic red tape that has vexed every government is keeping them away.
As the government said it would cut through the labyrinthine of forms and go after civil servants demanding bribes to do their jobs, ministries are continuing to drag their feet and remain obstacles, according to a survey published by the Greek newspaper Ethnos.
The inquiry found that the small islands of the Ionian Sea, Kalamos and Kastos, 76 opinions and about two years were needed for a single water pipe to get the green light, while 14 ministries are still debating approval of a harbor expansion project on the small Ionian island of Erikousa – for the last 12 years.
According to a survey conducted by the Business Environment Observatory of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), a request by a mining company for a license has awaiting approval for three years with no end in sight. According to SEV, the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises, the worst ministries for delays are the Regions and the Directorate of Antiquities of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
SEV’s survey, along with all problems and suggestions to solve bureaucratic problems with the environmental licensing, was delivered to the political leadership of the Hellenic Ministry of Environment, Energy & Climate Change on April 30. There was no information on what year it would be read.
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