Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in a marginal condition after six years of recession and four years of crisis, the head of the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen & Merchants (GSEVEE) George Kavvathas told Development Minister Nikos Dendias, who visited the confederation premises.

Kavvathas said that companies do not even participate in state tenders, as they lack the necessary tax and insurance contribution documents, while 700,000 jobs have been lost and 25,000 businesses have closed down during those years.

“Unless the economic policy changes its direction, we can have no hope. The government should focus on SMEs that correspond to 70 percent of the country’s employment as there are only 399 companies employing more than 50 employees,” he said and expressed his discontent with the stance of the ministry’s former leadership on SMEs.

On his part, Dendias would not refer to specific plans for the support of SMEs. He underlined though that with his visit he got a clear idea of the problems and the proposals of GSEVEE, as it is common knowledge that SMEs are experiencing the impact of a deep crisis and the issue is how to exit it while respecting each other’s views.