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Foreign investors can be clement towards the new Greek government only until the end of 2009. After that they are expecting decisive reforms, claims today’s issue of Vima newspaper. Investors are extremely positive regarding the October 4 elections, which promise political stability and regarding the presidential elections, which will take place in March 2010. They believe that improving the economic climate in global terms and the majority won by PASOK, will give an opportunity for quick reforms, which will take Greece out of the first recession after 1992.

The measures expected by the world banks from Athens are three:

• Presenting a balanced budget, which will bring back the trust of global markets in the Greek economy.
• Georgios Papandreou, who is the second best choice for minister of finances after deputy director of the European Central Bank Lukas Papadimos, will have to give convincing answers about politics in the area of incomes.
• Tough decisions need to be taken in long-term, for strict discipline regarding budget expenses and also regarding the fiscal weight of the elderly population in the country, in order for the public finances to be under strict control.

Investors are stressing that the factors, which led to the Greek GDP growth, have been exhausted. The European Commission is less and less patronizing and the price for restoring Greek economy is smaller than the price for destroying it. In all cases ally of the reforms will be the improved economic climate in global terms, which was underestimated by the previous government. New winds are blowing at the Athenian stock exchange as well, where two big banks – Pireos and Alpha Bank (and probably Eurobank), are expected to increase their capitals.

Investors are curiously expecting two events – the negotiations with the European Commission for delaying the deadline for decreasing the budget deficit and the probable changes in the management of big public organization, which create 14% of the Athens exchange stocks.

Meanwhile investors ban Merrill Lynch evaluated the National Bank of Greece and Eurobank as the best banks in Greece. The first one, because of its short-term perspectives and the second because it offers rowth possibilities.