Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs for European Affairs, Co-Chair of the Russian – Greek Joint Interministerial Committee Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ interview with the Russian ITAR-TASS (TASS) news agency and journalist Yury Malinov (28.11.2021)

In view of his visit to Moscow on November 29 and 30, the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-Chair of the Russian-Greek Joint Interministerial Committee Miltiadis Varvitsiotis gave an interview to the Russian ITAR-TASS (TASS) news agency and journalist Yury Malinov.

Following is the text of the interview, as published:

Russia’s counter measures to EU sanctions have hit Greece’s exports severely, especially the food sector, and the country is focusing its efforts on increasing its share of the Russian market in other competitive industries. This was stated by Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Co-Chair of the Russian-Greek Joint Interministerial Committee, in an interview with the TASS news agency correspondent. Mr. Varvitsiotis will be visiting Moscow on November 29 and 30, in order to co-chair the Committee’s 13th session and also to prepare the visit of the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to the Russian Federation on December 8.

“It is true that the Russian counter measures have significantly affected our exports. They have been reduced by half since 2014, especially those of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and dairy products. We are focusing our efforts on increasing the shares in the Russian market of other competitive sectors, with our high-quality products”, said Mr. Varvitsiotis. By a way of example, he mentioned the fur of Kastoria [city of fellmongery operations in Greece], the Greek jewelry and processed foods. According to Mr. Varvitsiotis, in Greece they believe that visiting Russians wish to buy Greek products.

“Tourism is of particular importance to us, as it contributes to reducing the large trade deficit we have with your country, from which we traditionally supply energy products and cereals. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we have received a small number of Russian tourists lately, but we hope for a speedy restoration of the flows and look forward to the contribution of the Russian side. This is an issue on the agenda of our talks,” he added.

Greece is aware of the pivotal role of Russia in the security architecture of Europe, as well as in regional crises, said Mr. Varvitsiotis. He stressed that, in the course of his stay in Moscow, he intends to discuss important international issues with Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Grushko. “I have met Mr. Grushko in the recent past and I would like to continue the interesting exchange of views with him”, he added. “We intend to review our bilateral relations and exchange views on current regional and international issues of mutual interest. Greece is aware of the pivotal role of Russia in the security architecture of Europe, in regional crises of our immediate neighborhood.”

Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed that, in addition to crisis situations in regions of immediate neighborhood, it is necessary to discuss crises, such as in Afghanistan, which may have an impact on Greece. “We are aware that on issues of importance to us, such as the Cyprus issue, Russia plays a positive role in the UN Security Council. We believe that our communication should be regular and substantial”, said the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Varvitsiotis stated that the visit of the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to Russia on December 8, 2021, will turn a new page in the relations between the two countries.

“I will be visiting Moscow on November 29 and 30 as Co-Chair of the 13th Greek-Russian Joint Interministerial Committee. I would like to remind you that the convening of the 13th session of the JIC, as well as my own scheduled visits to Russia, had to be postponed last year due to the pandemic. However, the Committee held videoconferences on issues of bilateral Economic, Industrial, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, with the Russian Co-Chair, the Minister of Transport, Mr. Savelyev “, said Mr. Varvitsiotis.

According to the Alternate Minister, the efforts by the two countries at this stage are focusing on the fields of energy, transport, tourism, investment and interregional cooperation. “We hope that through the Joint Interministerial Committee Cooperation Protocol that will be signed in Moscow and with the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, we will turn a new page in the Greek-Russian relations”, stressed the Alternate Minister.

Mr. Varvitsiotis noted that Greece and Russia are linked through historical ties dating back many centuries. “History always shows the way to the future, but the will to deepen our relations can become a reality through specific agreements that are part of a more general context of cooperation”, the Alternate Minister said.

“It is a fact that during the regular contacts of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of our two countries, but also during my personal contacts, the mutual willingness to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation in all sectors is confirmed. “My country attaches great importance to the issue of bilateral investment cooperation, as well as to the development and deepening of bilateral economic relations and business cooperation in the fields of tourism, real estate, technology, energy and food”, Mr. Varvitsiotis added.

“The Russian side has already been provided with the development program of the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund, so that interest on the part of Russian companies to be explored and we are awaiting their response”, pointed out Mr. Varvitsiotis. “Russian investors are certainly welcome. However, they should adapt to the requirements imposed by existing legislation and become aware of the established procedures”.

The Alternate Minister stressed that “the Greek economy has entered a period of rapid recovery, it is being transformed, internationalized and has turned into a pole of attraction for international investment schemes.” “In the last 12 months alone, more than 12 billion euros have been invested in the Greek economy by foreigners, outside the stock market, through acquisitions of companies or other assets, real estate and others. After 10 years of financial crisis and two years of health crisis, we are facing an upward multi-year growth cycle. “According to the European Commission’s Autumn 2021 economic forecast for Greece, strong growth of 7.1% is expected in 2021 and 5.2% in 2022”, said Mr. Varvitsiotis.

According to the Alternate Minister, “Greece, as an EU member state, with economic and political stability, along with available resources of about 100 billion euros provided by the [EU] Recovery and Resilience Facility, the National Strategic Reference Framework, the Just Energy Transition Fund and the new investment law, has become a particularly attractive investment destination”.

“The aforementioned resources will be directed in various sectors and especially in the green transition, digitization, extroversion, innovation, research and business growth. “Russian investors are welcome, so we are planning several actions to ensure they are better informed about them”, said Mr. Varvitsiotis.

In addition, the Alternate Minister stated that Greece is considering the possibility of interconnection between Greek and Russian ports. “It is known that Greek shipping is the largest in the world. The institutional framework that governs our bilateral maritime relations, provides the possibility of a -regular or non-regular- sea interconnection of the two countries and through passenger or car ferries. The interest of Greek ports has been recorded and the possible cooperation and interconnection of Greek ports with Russian ones, especially of Southern Russia, is being investigated, a fact that would increase the commercial and tourist flows”, pointed out Mr. Varvitsiotis.

The Alternate Minister made clear that the operation of such a line “should be subject to the assessment of its viability by the potentially interested business operators”.

Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed that Greece “from a geostrategic point of view, has undeniable advantages that reflect the position and attractiveness of its ports”. “This is the reason why large investments have been made in the ports of Piraeus and Thessaloniki. In addition, great strides have been made and continue to be made in combined transport, the required information exchange and electronic transaction technologies, while proposals for new, mutually beneficial partnerships are welcome. Therefore, one of the issues of bilateral economic cooperation with special interest is, inter alia, the cooperation between ports in matters of management and exchange of know-how “, concluded Mr. Varvitsiotis.