Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-05-10 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Greek inflation rate at 1.6 pct in April [02] Greece will begin attracting more foreign investments, EBRD President says [03] Greece, Israel, Cyprus tripartite meeting on June 15 in Thessaloniki --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Greek inflation rate at 1.6 pct in April Greek inflation rate slowed to 1.6 pct in April, from 1.7 pct in March, but remained up compared with -1.3 pct in April 2016, Hellenic Statistical Authority said on Wednesday. The statistics service, in a monthly report, attributed this development to price increases: 1.9 pct in food/beverage, 5.8 pct in alcohol/tobacco, 3.3 pct in housing, 6.8 pct in transport, 2.1 pct in communication, 1.9 pct in hotel/restaurants and price declines: 0.2 pct in clothing/footwear, 3.2 pct in durable goods, 2.8 pct in health, 1.3 pct in entertainment, 0.3 pct in education and 2.2 pct in other goods and services. The consumer price index rose 0.6 pct in April from March 2017, after a 0.7 pct increase recorded in the same period last year. Greece's harmonized inflation rate grew 1.6 pct in April, from 1.7 pct in March and -0.4 pct in April last year. On a monthly basis, the index was up 0.7 pct in April from March this year, after a 0.7 pct increase in the same period last year. [02] Greece will begin attracting more foreign investments, EBRD President says European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has invested more than 1.0 billion euros with 17 projects in Greece during the last 18 months, Sir Suma Chakrabarti, EBRD President told ANA. In comments made to ANA on the occasion of the annual general shareholders' meeting of the bank in Cyprus, Sir Chakrabarti said EBRD participated in the recapitalization of Greek systemic banks, a new framework for investments in green energy, investing on an independent energy producer and in funding of the modernization of 14 regional airports. "We are an institution working based on demand and this impressive catalogue shows that there is demand offering optimism that Greece, now there is an agreement in the framework of the second review, will begin attracting more foreign investments, Sir Chakrabarti said. EBRD's strategy covers three basic fields: strengthening the private sector, support the recovery of Greek economy and the development of energy and infrastructure sectors. "We work with a wide number of enterprises from different sectors of the Greek economy. We are commercial in our approach, but combine funding with the transformation of an enterprise or a sector, EBRD's President said. EBRD inaugurated its offices in Athens in March 2016. EBRD is organizing a business forum in Cyprus, titled: "Focusing on Green and exclusion-free Growth -Facing Regional and Global Challenges". [03] Greece, Israel, Cyprus tripartite meeting on June 15 in Thessaloniki The tripartite meeting of the leaders of Greece, Israel and Cyprus will be held on June 15 in Thessaloniki, announced Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to his associates at the prime minister's office in Thessaloniki on Wednesday. The former tripartite meeting with the participation of Alexis Tsipras, Nicos Anastasiades and Benjamin Netanyahu was held in Jerusalem.