Athens, Sept. 27, 2011

CNN’s John Defterios had an exclusive short interview with Greece's Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos in Athens.

Ev. Venizelos: I am absolutely optimistic about the sixth disbursement and also about the implementation of the so-called “new program,” always in reference to the terms of the famous decision of July 21.

J. Defterios (CNN): So there is not a new program, so we can clarify for everyone, taking shape for a 50% “haircut”. There is not a new program not just for Greece but for peripheral countries of Europe, to reshape and provide a 50% “haircut” on government debt.

Ev. Venizelos: I am the responsible Minister of Finance of Greece. I am here in order to apply and to implement our joint European decision of July. Not to participate in different irresponsible discussions, or in order to repeat rumors or comments. For me, the only duty, the only path, is to implement the decision of July 21.

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Saturday 6 August 2011

Greece's finance minister: 'We will make a superhuman effort'
Evangelos Venizelos introduced austerity measures to tackle the Greek debt crisis – now he pledges a crackdown on tax evasion

By Helena Smith

When Evangelos Venizelos, the Greek finance minister, first met his colleagues in Brussels in June the atmosphere was far from congenial. In the post for barely a day, the burly professor of law listened impassively as eurozone finance ministers berated him for the lack of progress Athens had made in reining in its runaway debt.

Greece was all mouth and no action; it was good at passing reforms to modernise its basket case of an economy but then did nothing to enforce them.

At the end of the tirade, Venizelos took the stand and promised to deliver.

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July 19 2011

Greek FM says European debt deal is 'attainable'

by Derek Gatopoulos, Associated Press; Nicholas Paphitis, Associated Press

Athens, Greece — A European debt deal is "attainable" at an emergency EU summit Thursday, Greece's finance minister said, signaling progress in talks between European governments and private bond holders in drawing up a new rescue deal for Greece.

Evangelos Venizelos also told The Associated Press in an interview late Monday that Greece remains on course to reach a primary budget surplus next year, despite missing key fiscal targets so far in 2011.

Greece is enacting major economic reforms alongside an austerity program as it grapples with a national debt topping euro340 billion ($477.5 billion) that have brought it to the brink of default.

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July 6, 2011

Deputy PM and Finance minister Evangelos Venizelos and his German counterpart, Federal Finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble, met tonight in Berlin for their first bilateral meeting since Mr Venizelos’ appointment in June.

The ministers discussed current European affairs over dinner. Among the issues covered was the sovereign debt crisis in the Eurozone, with a special focus on the progress of the reform programme in Greece. Minister Schäuble praised the reform and fiscal efforts of the Greek government and welcomed the approval of the government’s latest reform laws in parliament last week.

Both ministers agreed that the measures that have been enacted must now be swiftly implemented in order to speed up the country’s economic recovery.

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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

The New York Times

Greek Finance Minister Moves From Crisis to Crisis

by Landon Thomas Jr. and Rachel Donadio

As he approached the end of another 16-hour workday, Evangelos Venizelos had one question on his mind: Will Europe come up with the money that Greece so desperately needs? As the new Greek finance minister, Mr. Venizelos is the man in charge of steering a nearly bankrupt economy back on track — and, perhaps, preventing another global financial crisis.

No sooner had he presided over the close passage of a new austerity bill last week, than he was contending with the growing controversy over how much money private banks would contribute by taking on more Greek debt.

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Jul 5, 2011

Bloomberg

Greek Banks Ready to Take Part in Rollover, Finance Chief Venizelos Says

By Nicole Itano and Maria Petrakis

Greek banks are willing to roll over their government bonds as part of a European Union rescue plan that will keep the country out of financial markets for three years, Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said.

“The Greek banks are ready to participate,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in Athens today. “We must respect absolutely the voluntary character of this procedure. This is very sensitive and I give a very crystal clear answer on this topic.”

EU leaders have called on investors to shoulder part of a new aid package for Greece after last year’s 110 billion-euro ($159 billion) rescue failed to stop the spread of Europe’s debt crisis. Participation by Greek banks and pensions funds is key to the success of a plan for investors to roll over as much as 30 billion euros of maturing bonds into longer-term securities.

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July 05 2011

CNBC

Greece 'Definitive' Part of Euro Zone: Finance Minister

By: Catherine Boyle

Evangelos Venizelos, who was brought in as Finance Minister of Greece just two weeks ago, said Greece's part in the euro zone was "not reversible" in a first on CNBC interview Tuesday.

In his first international broadcast interview since Greece accepted terms for a second bailout by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Central Bank (ECB), Venizelos said that the government was "very happy" with the EU agreement.

He reinforced the importance of euro zone membership to the country and said: "We are a member of the European Union and a member of the euro zone."

"This is definitive and not a reversible situation."

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Monday, July 4, 2011

Greek fiscal survival vital for euro zone - FinMin

by Dina Kyriakidou

Athens | Mon Jul 4, 2011 (Reuters) - Greece will stave off default not only for its own sake but because its survival is vital for the euro zone and the global economy, Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told Reuters on Monday.

With help from its EU partners and fresh determination, the debt-ridden euro zone member will regain its fiscal sovereignty as soon as possible and aims to return to markets in the middle of 2014, as expected, the minister said.

"We will make it, because this is vital not only for Greece but for the stability of the whole euro zone and the global economy, because in Greece the stamina of the financial system is being tested," he told Reuters in the second part of an interview.

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Friday, July 1, 2011

Greek finance minister aims return to growth in 2012

by Dina Kyriakidou

ATHENS, July 1 (Reuters) - Greece's economy will slump further before starting to expand again next year thanks to fast injections of EU funds and reforms to spur growth, new Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told Reuters on Friday.

In his first interview to international media since being appointed last month, Venizelos pledged to accelerate efforts to sell off state companies and crack down on tax evasion, saying violent anti-austerity protests masked a high level of political consensus on the need to reform and keep Greece in the euro zone.

He said the economy would shrink by 3.9 percent this year but would need to return to growth if Greece was to make progress cutting its enormous public debt.

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Monday, 14 March 2011

Q: During his recent visit [to Greece] Mr. Davutoglu persisted, perhaps using fresh language, in the old Turkish claim that the International Convention on the Law of the Sea cannot apply to the Aegean Sea and that Kastelorizo island, although it is Greek, it does not have neither a Continental Shelf nor a full Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). What is your assessment?

Ev. Venizelos: For Greece, its strategy of rapprochement with Turkey is reflected on the strategic choice by the neighboring country [Turkey] to fully integrate into western institutions, with all the consequences in terms of diplomatic and, primarily, military behavior and practice. Greece wants to see applied, in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, what is being applied in other NATO and EU regions. [Greece wants to see] common rules and common practices being upheld, as far as military aircraft and warship sails are concerned for example. To have common rules as far as the allocation of responsibility in search and rescue (SAR) is concerned, in the event of an air or maritime accident. To have common rules and practices as far as sea and under-sea explorations are concerned.

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