Greece works systematically to combat fraud and corruption‏

Greece is making continuous and systematic efforts to combat fraud and corruption, Alternate Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, during a news conference on the occasion of a meeting of OLAF, the European agency to combat fraud, in Athens, Staikouras

presented the steps taken by Greek authorities such as the appointment of a National Coordinator to Combat Corruption, drafting of a National Action Plan against Corruption and the set-up of various institutions to help in combating fraud and corruption.

The Greek minister stressed that these actions have already offered results «which are returning as dividend to the society» and stressed that Greece has gained 14 places in the corruption perception index of Transparency International in 2013.

«The effort to combat fraud will not stop here. It is constant, systematic and stable. It covers very dimension of economic activity and civil administration. And towards this direction we continue our partnership with OLAF and all related European structures to safeguard the protection of the EU’s economic interests,» Staikouras said.

Giovanno Kessler, managing director of OLAF, speaking to reporters, acknowledged efforts made by Greek authorities and stressed that «combating fraud was part of a strategy for economic recovery in Greece».

source: ΑΜΝΑ