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The President of the Union of Greek Industrialists Dimitris Daskalopoulos called social forces to make efforts to oppose the useless and demagogic protests of trade unions and political opportunists. He defined the opponents of the Memorandum of financial support and the measures specified in it as rebels without a cause who try to stop reforms but offer no alternative. Daskalopoulos stated that Greece needs the Memorandum as a patient needs oxygen mask because the state has no other credit options, but it does not provide solutions to all Greek problems. It only gives a little time to regroup, because Greece is on the verge of collapse after 30 years of inaction and mismanagement.
 
Daskalopоulos spoke at the Forum "Greece in the world economic map – growth, competitiveness and reliability" and stressed that the Memorandum of financial support is much less exacting to the people than they should be to themselves. "We must intensify the dead capital of state assets to reduce the deficit and the external debt to some extent," said the industrialist. Wastefulness in the public sector should be stopped and immediately change in the type of economic growth is needed as it is based to date on 85% of consumption and only on 15% of production and exports.

The same is the opinion of the chairman of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research Yannis Stournaras who spoke at another Athenian forum about the new plan for economic growth. The event was organized by the Institute for Strategic Studies and Development Andreas Papandreou and gathered economists, bankers, businessmen and politicians to present their views.

Yannis Stournaras said that if Greece wants to get out of the swamp of financial crisis it should dramatically change the course of its economic policy and take additional measures other than those imposed by the supervisory Troika. The reasons for this are four. The first is that the planned reforms to date are imperative for a stable economic base, but they are not sufficient to restore positive economic growth. The second relates to the lack of specific direction and where the Greek economy will focus after the Memorandum for financial supports expires. Stournaras stressed that there is no vision for business development in the long term.

The economist noted thirdly, that some of the structural and regulatory reforms have some weak points. He gave as an example the reform of social security and health care system, which still has a number of imperfections and more specific platform should be made on which to revise the law. Finally, Stournaras said that the government must prove to the people and the international observers that the goals are feasible. This will only happen if the government presents detailed reports on the achievement of each objective still at the outset. The lack of transparency and clear program leaves room for doubt and speculation which hamper regaining of trust.

Yannis Stournaras proposed 10% of Greece's workforce to be redirected to new sectors of economic production which offer higher added value. Retail, consumption and public sector should remain in the background. The economy of Greece should be reallocated to sectors of obvious advantages like tourism, transport, agriculture, exports and high technologies.

There are many opportunities to increase the economic strength in the long term. If all professions that enjoy state protection such as transport, pharmacies, engineers, lawyers and other professional groups are liberalized Greece could register 17% increase in GDP in the long run.

The economic analyst did not fail to note that the government should be bolder and proceed to privatization or closure of hospitals and healthcare facilities where they are unprofitable or where there is no appropriate managerial experience. The same applies to military bases and units which are ownerless currently but cost the state a lot. Unusually high number of tax incentives for various social groups should also fall, but also some government fees and taxes, which are obsolete and only burden productivity.

Last but not least, Stournaras said that energy market liberalization would be crucial for the local economy. At the same time, the government should comply with EU targets for reducing greenhouse gases in the air by 20% until 2020. To feel the real effect of this reform Greece should pay more attention to the relationship between education and the economic development of selected sectors.

Of course, there is no economic growth without funded entrepreneurship and innovation which was confirmed by the National Bank of Greece CEO Apostolos Tamvakakis. He assured the audience that the banking system is sound and ready to absorb the impact of financial stagnation to help the country emerge from today's crisis and to recover.

Apostolos Tamvakakis stressed that it was obliged to perserve its Greek character in the reform process and foreigners should not be allowed to decide its future. He said that stable banks are needed in Greece as it comes to economic development and spoke in favour of friendly mergers. "Aggressive methods do not comply with the National Bank of Greece politics and ethics," he said and stressed that the proposed merger with Alpha Bank is a reliable and sustainable.

"The first positive results of reforms in the country will be felt in the middle of 2011," promised Michalis Chrysohoidis, Minister of Regional Development and Competition, at the forum. He said that Greece should return to the old traditions of hard work and perseverance, which he remembered from his childhood. According to the Minister, the collapse of the Greek economy and political morality occurred in 1980s with the accession in the European Community and the grants for agriculture.