Greece Best ‘User’ of NSRF Funds

Greece is among the EU countries with the highest absorption rates of National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) funds for the 2007-2013 period, the economy ministry said in a statement this week.

Citing official data released by the European Commission, Deputy Economy, Development and Tourism Minister Alexis Haritsis said that Greece will have made use of all EU support available – also known as ESPA funds – by December 31st, and that the ministry’s “planning and hard work have yielded very positive results, improving the economic climate and helping us overcome obstacles and problems inherited from previous governments”.

The news comes days after Greece became the first EU country to have approved the Management and Control System for NSRF 2014-20 programs, making it the first member state among the EU-28 to be able before the end of 2015 to submit payment requests for all new period programs.

“The official data released this week by the European Commission fully vindicates our ministry and refutes allegations of conservative circles abroad and their domestic supporters, who have as of late been engaged in a barrage of alarmist talk about wasted resources,” said Mr Haritsis.