KEYNOTE ADDRESSES FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT, HELLENIC REPUBLIC H.E. KOSTIS HATZIDAKIS

New York, December 9, 2025

The 27th Annual Capital Link Invest in Greece Forum: “Building on Success: Unlocking Greece’s Investment Potential”, was held with great success and participation, on Monday, December 8, 2025, in New York in cooperation with New York Stock Exchange – NYSE, Athens Exchange Group (ATHEX Group) and major Global Investment Banks & Organizations. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and TEN Ltd (Tsakos Energy Navigation) were the Lead Sponsors. The Forum was organized under the Auspices of the Consulate General of Greece in New York.

The Official Luncheon of the 27th Annual Capital Link Invest in Greece Forum began with Keynote Addresses from Vice President of the Government – Hellenic Republic, H.E. Kostis Hatzidakis & Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe, Eurasia, Africa, Middle East Office of International Affairs – U.S. Department of Energy, H.E. Joshua Volz.

Vice President of the Government – Hellenic Republic, H.E. Kostis Hatzidakis’ Keynote Address in full:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you for the invitation. It is a pleasure to address the “27th Capital Link Invest in Greece Forum”. Let’s start with a simple quiz. Let’s assume we ask citizens in the street: When you think of Greece, what comes to your mind? Many of them will say: “The Parthenon”. Correct. It’s a masterpiece that has survived 2,500 years. Also, a lot will probably say: “The islands”. Also correct. Greece is a top destination for tourism. Our islands and seas are known around the world. Let’s ask the same question to you. Some of you may say: “The food”. Which is fair, not only because of the Greek cuisine, but also because my speech is right before lunch!

But let me add something new. Something that was definitely not on the list a few years ago: Greece is today one of the strongest economic turnarounds in Europe.

A comeback after a ten-years severe crisis. A comeback almost nobody saw coming. It wasn’t easy. Back in 2019, the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis undertook an effort, which was almost herculean. It was our government that did something rare in modern Greek politics, though obvious: it welcomed investments and actually pressed the “start” button on the economy. And today, this progress is recognized far beyond our borders. The IMF sees it. The European Commission sees it. The rating agencies acknowledge it. And respected global outlets – Bloomberg, The Economist – they underline it too. They are all telling the same story: Greece is bouncing back!

• Greece has the fastest reduction of public debt in Eurozone’s history and borrows at lower rates than Italy and France.
• Over the last 6 year, 83 taxes have been reduced (including corporate tax and dividend tax).
• Between 2019-2025, there has been an increase in investments in Greece by 96% (vs. 5% in the euro area).
• Greece is now growing at more than twice the European average.

This was not achieved through draconian austerity – but through a business-friendly approach and combating tax evasion.

• But today, I’m not here to repeat what we’ve achieved.
• I’m not here to tell you that we are one of the four European countries that will deliver surpluses instead of deficits this year.
• I’m not here to repeat that the NPL’s ratio has reached the European average and that Greek banks are once again strong and focus on their main job: financing the real economy.
• I am not here to tell you that we have taken decisive steps with the digital transformation of the state – and other European countries are impressed by the progress made in this sector.
• I’m also not here to tell you that we’ve doubled exports compared to the pre-crisis period.
• Αnd that we created more than half a million new jobs – in a country of 10 million.

What happened in Greece over the last six years is what I call a commonsense revolution. That’s why today’s Greece is a totally different country than it was in the previous decade. It is actually a success story! That’s why the Greek Minister of Finance is one of the two candidates for the post of the Eurogroup chairman this week.

But my speech today is basically about the future. It is about the choices we make from this point forward and the opportunities for potential investors in Greece.

It’s about how we’ll further strengthen our competitiveness. How we’ll attract even more investments. How we’ll build an even brighter future for Greece. And the answer is clear: Sustained commitment to fiscal discipline. And reforms, reforms, reforms!

Fiscal discipline will remain the foundation of our economic policy. Because we know this is a necessary requirement for the credibility of the country. And a proof that we’ve learnt the lessons of the past. That we are determined not to waste the progress made. But reforms are equally important.

• Because they are the path for us to become stronger and more competitive than today.
• Because common sense reforms make business easier for those who invest,
• They make our country a magnet for talent and innovation, a logistics and connectivity hub.
• A country that uses its ancient and creative DNA to build a truly modern future.
• Because our ambition exceeds our current achievements and our aim for Greece is to be among the protagonists in the European Union.

So, let me tell you what comes next – let me tell you how we will write this next chapter for Greece. The chapter that can lift our economy to another level. With purpose and determination.

Which are our basic objectives?

• First of all, further targeted tax cuts – so work is rewarded, investment is encouraged, and innovation has space to grow.
• Secondly, less bureaucracy for businesses, as we continue to simplify procedures and open the way for ideas to flourish. 4.000 different administrative processes are in line for simplification or even abolishment. And to make this possible, we won’t rely only on legal and technical advice, but also on AI tools.

But our effort is not only about further reducing taxation and cutting red

tape:

• We started addressing long-standing problems of our judicial system, by simplifying the process and using new digital tools. We have already cut trials’ length by half in first-instance courts. By 2027, final decisions will be issued in 650 days – which is Europe’s average.
• After addressing also structural problems of our banking sector, which is now fully competitive and supporting the real economy, we further strengthen our capital market, so companies can raise funds,
• expand, and compete on equal terms with the best in Europe. The recent acquisition of the Athens Stock Exchange by Euronext will act as a catalyst in this respect.
• And of course we prioritize major investments in infrastructure, energy grids, and digital networks. Ancient Greece once built temples and fleets. Modern Greece will build startups, laboratories, tech factories, and clean-energy hubs.
• And a more outward-looking economy, driven by exports, technology, and the creativity of our people.

Dear friends, for many decades, American companies did not invest in Greece. They simply did not consider Greece a particularly investment-friendly country. As I have already highlighted, this has changed since 2019. And it hardly needs my emphasis anymore. I’m not sure I need to try so hard, because they are already convinced: Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Pfizer and Cisco.

This proves that, since 2019, major American companies have been coming and investing in Greece. In fact, this means that everything I’ve told you so far was not… Greek mythology. Moreover, in recent months we have concluded several important energy agreements. The agreements with Chevron and Exxon, two global energy giants, on hydrocarbon exploration represent a strong vote of confidence in our country. And the agreement with Venture Global makes Greece a key entry point for American LNG into Southeastern and Central Europe. Greece’s geopolitical position is significantly strengthened. So is Europe’s energy security. Allow me to say, that the US and Greece reshape to some extent the energy future of the European Union.

Dear friends, our bilateral relations with the US are at their highest level, and they will continue to expand. And our goal, through everything we have already done and everything we are going to do, is to attract even more American investment to Greece. Because Greece has become a very attractive investment destination.

Of course, shipping and tourism have been up to now the basic driving forces for the Greek economy. They will continue to be so. Greek shipowners hold 20% of the global fleet and Greece is among the top 10 tourist destinations worldwide.

Allow me to add energy to the comparative advantages of Greece as regards investments. I don’t refer only to the recent agreements signed between the Greek and American companies. Greece has been a frontrunner in green transition. In 2024 we generated more than 50% of our electricity from Renewables. We became a net exporter of electricity for the first time after many years. Energy interconnection projects with Egypt, Cyprus and Israel are under way. With that in mind, allow me to highlight four sectors that may be of further interest to American companies.

1. Strategic infrastructure and connectivity

Greece is at a crossroads between Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. It provides access to major trade corridors and international supply chains. As a result, it offers significant opportunities for investment in transport and logistics.

2. Defense and high technology

Greece has companies that, in recent years, have become increasingly active in this field with pioneering technologies. In parallel, the European Union decided to significantly increase its defense budget. That creates new opportunities to join international consortia, major procurement programs, and high-tech engineering projects. It’s a sector that always had the talent — and now, it also has the potential to excel.

3. Innovation, research, and a competitive R&D environment

Since 2024, our R&D incentives are among the best in Europe, including amortization rates of up to 315 percent. Ιnvestors are responding: Tech companies, startups, and research labs are already setting up in Greece. I believe that modern Greece will soon become very well known for its startups and AI scientists. In fact: 10% of the top European scientists dealing with AI are of Greek origin.

4. Higher education opening to the world

Recently, a major reform has been adopted, allowing not state-owned universities to come to Greece and expand their activities. For the first time, foreign universities have committed to establishing campuses in Greece — 4 so far, with more expected. It’s a quiet but important change: it brings new ideas, new people, and stronger research capacities into our system. And it shows that Greece is becoming a place where global talent can study and work.

Dear friends, As I said, several American companies started investing in Greece. I see many reasons for other American companies to follow their example. Greece now offers something investors value deeply: political stability, determination to press ahead with all the necessary structural reforms, and a government that remains consistently proinvestment. These issues may sound simple, but in today’s Europe they are far from certain. In many European countries, predictability has become a rare commodity. That makes Greece’s stability a distinct competitive advantage. It gives investors confidence that decisions will be steady, policies will stay consistent, and long-term plans can be really implemented.

Greece has turned the corner. Αnd now we look ahead with confidence. We have stability, momentum, and a business-friendly approach. We are building a future that is more dynamic, more innovative, and more outward-looking. A future where Greece stands stronger within Europe and brighter in the world. And we do so as a credible European Union member state. As the most reliable U.S. ally in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Dear friends, As I said at the beginning, Greece is very well known for its history. You know Greece for its ancient philosophers: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. You also know Greece for Alexander the Great. And more recently, here in the US, for the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the best players in the NBA. The Greek delegation here, the Ministers, the bankers, the shipowners, the entrepreneurs, all of us, have an ambition: To add one more reason why Greece comes to your mind:

Because Greece is one of the best places in the world to invest!

Thank you!”

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe, Eurasia, Africa, Middle East Office of International Affairs – U.S. Department of Energy, H.E. Joshua Volz, in his Keynote Address, emphasized, among other topics, that:

Greece is being urged to rapidly expand its infrastructure for receiving liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States in order to leverage its strategic geographic position in Europe and strengthen its energy role in the region. Currently, the country ranks only seventh in Europe in LNG import capacity, despite its geographic advantages, which means significant investments and construction are needed to increase capacity and enable the transfer of larger volumes of U.S. natural gas through Greece to other European countries.

Achieving this requires close cooperation between the public and private sectors. Investments must focus on both “hard” infrastructure—such as floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), pipelines, and other facilities—and the “soft” side, meaning the establishment of political and regulatory frameworks that allow LNG to move across the European Union at competitive prices. Addressing trade barriers among EU countries is essential to create an efficient and economically viable distribution network for U.S. natural gas.

At the same time, the development of these infrastructures would position Greece as a central player in strengthening energy security and supply to neighboring countries such as Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, through the European Vertical Corridor. Long-term cooperation between Greece, the United States, and nearby regional partners is critical for successfully capitalizing on this opportunity, as the effective integration of political, regulatory, and technical infrastructure will determine how competitive and sustainable U.S. LNG flows to the European market can be.

Overall, Greece must combine speed, strategic planning, and multi-level collaboration to become a key hub for U.S. LNG imports, enhancing regional energy security while fully leveraging its geopolitical position and existing commitments with the United States.

CEO & Chairman of the Managing Board – Euronext, Mr. Stéphane Boujnah, in his Welcome Remarks – via webcast, stated: “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m very pleased to speak at the 27th Annual Capital Link Invest in Greece Forum. This forum is about building on success, unlocking Greece’s investment potential. The successful acquisition of the ATHEX Group by Euronext marks a very important advancement of this ambitious vision.

This integration is about combining unique strengths Greece has long embodied, excellence, innovation, and superior entrepreneurship. It holds a strategic geographic position as a gateway to regions with very high potential but underserved in terms of capital market infrastructure. It benefits from a sophisticated financial community and a very resilient economy.

As a matter of fact, the recovery of the Greek public accounts is just impressive. There is also sectorial momentum in key industries that are expanding and attracting international investments. Greece today stands as a strategic hub at the crossroads of Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.

It connects global investors to one of the most promising economic corridors in the world. Euronext will be an accelerator of the integration of Greek capital markets in global flows. Just because Euronext is the leading European capital market infrastructure in Europe with a successful federal model. We bring a single and state-of-the-art technology platform, a single order book, and a single liquidity pool which is today the largest liquidity pool in Europe.

We have a strong track record in the development of capital markets in countries that we have entered into. Greece will become part of Euronext’s integrated European equity market with an aggregated capitalization that is twice that of the London equity market and three times that of the Frankfurt equity market. Greek companies will now have direct European reach, unlocking new opportunities for growth for large IPOs and for SME listings.

Local investors in Greece will gain access to Euronext-listed companies and innovative financial products. Local market participants will benefit from seamless connectivity to European markets and a harmonized post-trade framework. At the same time, global market participants will be able to trade Greek companies on Euronext’s single platform, significantly improving market liquidity.

Greece will operate on the same cutting-edge infrastructure used by other European’s most advanced markets, delivering speed, delivering security, delivering reliability at scale for global investors. This is the beginning of an ambitious new chapter both for ATHEX and for Euronext. We are extremely proud to embark on this shared journey with our dear Greek colleagues, with our new Greek clients, and with all our new Greek partners.

Together, we are building a stronger, more connected European capital market. Thank you.”

CEO – Athens Exchange Group, Mr. Yianos Kontopoulos, in his Welcome Remarks – via webcast, stated: “Ladies and gentlemen, my apologies that I’m unable to join you in person today at the 27th Annual Capital Link Invest in Greece Forum. Nonetheless, I am delighted to address you remotely and share an update on the significant progress of the Athens Stock Exchange and the Greek capital market over the past year.

2025 has been a milestone year for ATHEX, marked by outstanding financial performance, strong market momentum, and transformative strategic developments. During the first nine months of 2025, our turnover increased by more than 62 percent, EBITDA nearly doubled and earnings after tax increased by 103 percent, reflecting the continuing strength and resilience of the Greek market. We also recorded historic activity levels, with average daily trading value reaching 210 million euros. International investor participation rising to a record 69 percent, and total capital raised amounting to 1.4 billion to rights issues, bond issuances, and new listings.

Equally important, the successful completion of the Euronext standard offer in November marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Athens Stock Exchange. By joining Europe’s largest and most integrated market infrastructure, ATHEX has an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate its strategic ambitions, deepen market liquidity, expand international reach, and create new financing pathways for Greek companies. Together with Euronext, we are working to build a stronger, more connected, and more competitive market for the future, one that supports long-term growth for Greece. This progress is fully aligned with our continuing efforts to enhance our visibility globally, including the ongoing process for the upgrade of the Greek capital market to develop market status.

Achieving this milestone would reflect the substantial reforms and growth achieved in recent years, and would further strengthen the appeal of our market to international institutional investors. Within this context, the Capital Link Invest in Greece Forum plays a vital role in strengthening dialogue between Greece and the global investment community, attracting foreign capital, and supporting the investment needs of the real economy. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Nikos, Olga, and the entire Capital Link team for the dedication in organizing this high impact event, which continues to promote Greece as a compelling investment destination. As we look ahead to 2026, we remain resolute in our mission to reinforce the role of the Athens Stock Exchange as a leading European market, aligned with Euronext’s federal model driving innovation, sustainability, and growth, and expanding opportunities for investors, companies, and the broader economy. Thank you all for your continued support. I wish you a highly productive and successful forum, and I look forward to seeing many of you in person in the near future. Thank you.”

Dr. Nikolas P. Tsakos, Founder & CEO, TEN Ltd; Chairman, INTERTANKO 2014-2018, and Mr. Chris Taylor, Global Head of Listings and Services – NYSE Group, offered Welcome Remarks at the Luncheon.