“Just as we did not lose a single euro from the ESPA 2014-2020, which was left to its fate under the Syriza government and we had to run too fast to not lose a single euro, Greece will not lose a single euro from the Recovery Fund.” This was stated in Parliament by the deputy minister of the National Economy, Nikos Papathanasis, in response to topical questions from MPs, Nikos Pappas of SYRIZA and Alexandros Kazamia of Plevisi Eleftherias, who, citing the report of the audit conference, pointed out “the risk of losing European funds.”

“The subsidies part is very important, the loans part is also important and I can assure you that we will not lose any euros because we have provided for an overcommitment, as we do in all programming periods and in all European programs. We are fourth in Europe in the absorption of the NSRF 2021-2027,” Papathanasis said.

He added: “We attach great importance to European resources. We have achieved the largest public investment program of the last 14 years and this year we will have an even higher one in 2025, amounting to €14.1 billion. This program, in the way it enters our economy, brings again very high growth, which essentially means creating new jobs, that is, disposable income which, together with the fight we are making on the issue of poverty, improves the daily life of citizens.”

“So we will continue, we are waiting for the approval of the fifth demand, we are preparing with the milestones for the sixth demand and we will continue, taking into account the audit court, and of course we are receptive to its recommendations and comments. But please know that the management and control plan is very strictly controlled by the European Commission and in fact with a very strict “Task Force” which is right on top of every milestone achievement and every project achievement and completion,” he noted.

Referring to the disbursements, Papathanasis stressed that “of the 8.6 billion that Greece has received from the Recovery Fund, more than 7.6 billion has flowed in from the subsidies to society and the economy. As for the loan part, a part is now going to “My House 2” and “Upgrade My House” and we see 2 billion euros, 1 billion from the Recovery Fund and 1 billion from the banks going to society.”

He also emphasized the growth part of the economy, pointing out that “over 15 billion in investments came because of the Recovery Fund where here 7 billion is coming from the loan part”. “So in terms of the economy, growth in the country has not happened, it has succeeded,” the Deputy Minister of National Economy said.

For his part, Pappas accused the government “of apathy towards the audit conference report,” which he claimed “is a ticking time bomb with shocking findings, observations and recommendations,” noting, among other things, the risk of losing funds and the lack of an adequate system for detecting delays.

“You are managing the funds without adequate bipartisan control. As for the loan part, only 7 enterprises have become beneficiaries of the Recovery Fund,” Pappas noted.

In the same vein, Mr. Kazamia’s criticisms were also in the same vein, referring to “a report of the audit conference on the program and the ability of our country to absorb the funds, noting huge delays and that we are off schedule.”

“The Greek plan is based on a unique management and control system with safeguards that has been agreed with the European Commission and meets all EU requirements. And it is very important that the five requests that have been submitted to date are thoroughly checked for each milestone, each project, which has intermediate stages for which a special “Task Force” monitors them,” Papathanasis said, adding:

“So the milestones must all be met, otherwise the amount is not disbursed. At the moment Greece has disbursed 18 billion euros, 50% or so of the program and if you take into account the disbursement we are waiting for the fifth request, then this puts us in a higher position. So we will have to look at the outcome of the disbursements of the Recovery Fund and judge what exactly Greece is gaining from this program.”

At the same time, he dismissed allegations of a chaotic situation, countering that “the audit conference report is not a legitimacy check” but “recommendations on the management and control plan.”

“This plan is not a simple tool prepared by the Greek state. It is a tool that in essence is common to the Member States and is applied rigorously in order to avoid any differentiation in any Fund.

According to the management and control plan, Greece is in the first positions with regard to the achievement of the milestones.

In 2025, the sixth payment request of €3.9 billion will follow, €2.1 billion from the grant component and €1.8 billion from the loan component, and in October the seventh request of €3.5 billion will be submitted, where the grant component will be €1.7 billion and the loan component €1.8 billion,” he stressed.

“The Recovery Fund submits its comments and obviously some recommendations are taken into account. The important thing is that we have to follow very closely the rules of the European Commission in order to submit the requests. If the fifth request is approved, because we have achieved the milestones, Greece will move up even higher in the ranks,” the deputy minister of National Economy concluded.