Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis invited the business world to participate actively in the country’s effort to complete investments totaling up to 100 billion euros by 2020, speaking at a debate organized by the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Greek business federation SEV .

Mr. Christodoulakis stressed the country needs an “investment jump” noting that the main question is where the government will find the money.

Trying to respond to this question, he announced he plans to negotiate with the European Commission the extension by six or 12 months the existing EU programs and to request an increase in EU funding for 2014-2020, citing the deep economic crisis that Greece faces.

Commenting on a possible relaxation of capital controls for imports, Finance Minister said that the government is discussing a full lifting of capital controls for medicines and for a few other products. However, he noted that these issues will have to be discussed with the European Central Bank, which will happen in the near future.