A new 3-year cooperation agreement was signed on Wednesday between the Greek government and the tobacco company “Philip Morris International Management S.A” with its affiliate “Papastratos” in the presence of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

The agreement concerns the purchase of at least 30,000 tonnes of tobacco from Greece in 2016-2018, while its affiliate will be in charge for the market of in Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Malta.

The agreement was signed by Rural Development Minister Vangelis Apostolou and Philip Morris CEO André Calantzopoulos.

Mr. Tsipras said the agreement signaled a very important dual message, both that investments were coming to Greece in spite of the crisis and a message of support to the government’s efforts to stamp out contraband trade and tax evasion.

He also pointed out that this investment was “useful and crucial” in that it was being made in the production sector, where it was needed perhaps more than anywhere else.

“If we do not start to produce, we will never emerge from the crisis and especially the farming world today has a great need of investments, so that there are jobs and as production increases, income increases,” Tsipras said.