“PASOK, once again, either out of ignorance or deliberate distortion of official data, chooses to oppose not the government, but reality itself.” This was stated in an announcement issued by Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, responsible for the Recovery and Resilience Fund, Nikos Papathanasis, responding to new accusations from PASOK and its parliamentary spokesperson Pavlos Geroulanos. Specifically, Mr. Papathanasis outlined the benefits from the Recovery Fund, emphasizing that the opposition party’s accusations were “completely dismantled.”
Read: “My Home II”: When approved housing loans will be contracted – Deadline extension
Nikos Papathanasis: Bringing PASOK back to harsh reality
Specifically, following yesterday’s official announcements, Mr. Papathanasis stated: “PASOK, once again, either out of ignorance or deliberate distortion of official data, chooses to oppose not the government, but reality itself. Until yesterday, it accused the government that Recovery Fund resources were allegedly “only directed to the strong and the big.” That we were leaving very small, small and medium enterprises out of funding.
Today, when the loan component program of the Recovery and Resilience Fund is completed at 100%, without changing the planning and according to what was approved by last December’s ECOFIN, today when 17.7 billion euros are directed to the economy, while simultaneously significant funds are directed to the Hellenic Development Bank, aiming to further strengthen entrepreneurship and SMEs, ensuring even greater access for small and medium enterprises to cheap loans and necessary guarantees, PASOK rehashes accusations that have been answered.
Today when the government, with methodology and hard work, achieved what the opposition predicted would not happen, namely that every available euro would be directed to the economy and society, PASOK appears to be making a political somersault, in the style of other eras.
In a (desperate?) attempt to bring PASOK back to harsh reality, we repeat:
- The choice to strengthen the Hellenic Development Bank was neither sudden nor the result of poor planning, as it is being presented. On the contrary, the channeling of resources had already been reflected in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan since December 2025, within the framework of the “Greece 2.0” revision, which was approved by ECOFIN. The relevant allocation of resources has also been officially recorded in the section: Loans> Loan support for businesses, on the program’s website. That is, it is a conscious policy choice, in the direction of strengthening institutionally guaranteed full transparency.
- From the low-interest business loans of the Fund, investments worth 27.5 billion euros have already been mobilized, with 60% of businesses being small and medium enterprises, absorbing 5.6 billion euros.
- With guarantees from RRF resources through InvestEU, 15,170 small and medium enterprises gained access to 3 billion euros financing from the banking system, for working capital and investments, while with the strengthening of guarantees, the program continues so that an additional 20,000 small and medium enterprises can be financed.
- Additionally, 2 billion euros are directed through the Hellenic Development Bank exclusively to small and medium enterprises in the coming years.
- Meanwhile, 220 million euros have already been invested through venture capital in dynamic Greek companies that are growing rapidly and investments continue.
And the benefits of Recovery Fund loans don’t stop at businesses. Within the framework of the “My Home II” program, 14,480 loans totaling 1.74 billion euros have already been approved, mainly for young people and families, with 67% of beneficiaries having income below 24,000 euros and the majority concerning families with children. Meanwhile, through “Upgrade My Home” 4,116 loans worth 77 million euros have already been granted.
The rest in Parliament, during the discussion of PASOK’s urgent question, where complete answers will be given at the Parliamentary Control level, as happened in all previous similar cases, when PASOK’s accusations were completely dismantled.
Until then, let the main opposition position itself publicly: Does it want more financing tools and more resources for cheap loans to small and medium enterprises or not? Does it want more SMEs to have access to the banking system through the Hellenic Development Bank?
The government’s answer has been given and continues to be given in practice, producing measurable results for the economy, creating a development dividend for society: With planning and responsibility, we utilize every euro, supporting development, investments, entrepreneurship as a whole and small and medium enterprises in particular.”
