* * *  1 Introduction Mr Karamouzis, Deputy Prime Minister, Governor Stournaras, Representatives of the Greek political parties, the Greek banks and the Greek economy, Ladies and gentlemen Καλησπέρα! – Good evening! It’s a great pleasure for me to be here today, in this beautiful country, in this vibrant city, in this prestigious hotel on Syntagma Square at the heart of modern Greece.
Thank you for your invitation and your kind hospitality. Allow me to start by saying that I was shocked by the TV images of deadly wildfires ravaging the coastal areas of Attica, a few weeks ago. My thoughts were with the victims, my condolences and sympathies go to their families and the entire Greek people.