Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met visiting OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria yesterday (11.02). In statements to the press after the meeting, Tsipras said that the government aims to carry out reforms not carried out by the previous governments. He noted that cooperation with the OECD will be on the reform agenda of the government, based on the popular mandate and the policy statement announced in Parliament.

He also stated that the meeting marks the beginning of a new relationship with the OECD, and announced the setting up of a joint cooperation committee to address development, employment and social cohesion in Greece, and added he would soon visit Gurria in Paris to formalize the cooperation agreement.

On his part, Gurria said that Greece is an OECD member, and that the Organization “is here to work with Greece and for Greece,” emphasising that the benefits of growth should be directed at the majority of Greeks, to provide the best solutions for them. He also noted that some reforms do not have immediate results (such as in education and innovation) but are means for mid- and long-term development.

See also OECD Going for Growth Report 2015