Bank lending rates to firms and households continue to stand at historically low levels. Turning to the risk assessment, we continue to see the risks to the economic outlook as broadly balanced over the medium term. Uncertainties related to the pandemic have abated somewhat.
To sum up, the size of NPEs is the most critical long-term challenge for both the banking system and the real economy. However, under certain conditions, it can also serve as a catalytic opportunity to attract investment and remedy the unhealthy situations that have long hindered the restructuring of production and hampered the competitiveness of the Greek economy.