We now need to protect the economy in one additional way, by preventing excessive risks in the banking sector. Protecting our fellow citizens as well as businesses from the dire effects of the crisis was the driving force behind the ‘Four Presidents’ report’, which established a roadmap towards a genuine Economic and Monetary Union. Dear Herman, You were the chef d’orchestre of our quartet.
It is estimated that some 650 million drachma-denominated banknotes and 7,000 tonnes of drachma coins, of a total value of 3 trillion drachmas, will have to be withdrawn in Greece. Owing to the shorter time available for production, some of the needs inevitably had to be met by importing banknotes and coins from printing works abroad.