Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis, speaking at the 5th Cantina Academy discussion on “Epirus: The Roots and Future of Authenticity,” said that productivity and demographics are the key drivers of Greece’s future development.
He described the demographic challenge as an existential issue for both Greece and Europe, noting that no European country currently has a fertility rate above the replacement level of two children per couple needed to sustain a stable population.
Referring to Greece, he pointed to last year’s Thessaloniki International Fair, which focused on tax reform linked to demographic pressures. On productivity, he said levels remain low across Europe, with Greece performing below the EU average, adding that productivity gains must offset the shrinking economically active population.
He noted that Greece is also facing an overall population decline, with some regions more affected than others, stressing the need to remove structural barriers to growth. Commenting on the Middle East crisis, he said energy costs remain the primary concern, arguing that the most effective competitiveness and social policy is to cut energy costs at the source.
He added that the issue has been addressed both in the Eurogroup meetings and in broader discussions among EU finance ministers.
