The holding of the ECB Governing Council meeting at the Bank of Greece was completed successfully
30/10/2023 - Press Releases
- View a video of the preparation and conduct of the meeting
The organisation and hosting in Greece of the meeting of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB), which was held on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 October in the main building of the Bank of Greece, were completed with great success. The meeting was followed by a press conference, in which the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde, in the presence of Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras, explained the Governing Council’s decisions on monetary policy.
In its meeting that was held in Greece, the ECB Governing Council decided to leave the ECB’s key interest rates unchanged.
"The Acropolis of Athens and contemporary Europe"
The Governor of the Bank of Greece, Yannis Stournaras, welcomed his euro area peers and hosted an official dinner in honour of President Christine Lagarde and the other members of the ECB Governing Council on Wednesday 25 October. The official dinner was honoured by the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and was also attended by the Minister of Economy and Finance, Kostis Hatzidakis, and the Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister, Alexis Patelis.
In his speech during the official dinner, the Governor of the Bank of Greece, Yannis Stournaras, talked about the connection between the Acropolis of Athens and contemporary Europe, noting, among other things, that “important dimensions of the bond that unites us, as Europeans, harken back to ideas and developments which first emerged, albeit in fledgling form, in the streets, groves and civic meeting places surrounding the Acropolis of Athens. So, as Europeans today, we believe in democracy, we strive for science and knowledge, we have faith in human accomplishment, we admire beauty, we go after excellence.”
ECB President Christine Lagarde noted, addressing Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras: “I would like to thank the Bank of Greece for hosting our dinner tonight. And thank you for the tremendous effort you have put into organising this external Governing Council meeting at your impressive headquarters here in Athens.”
During their stay in Greece, the members of the ECB Governing Council visited the Acropolis monuments and were offered a guided tour of the Acropolis Museum by its General Director, Nikolaos Stampolidis.
Preparation and joint organisation of the meeting
The seamless cooperation between the Administration and staff of the Bank of Greece and their peers at the European Central Bank for almost a year ensured the success of this meeting.
The ground floor of the Bank’s main building was revamped in order to host the press conference, while the General Meetings Hall was specially arranged to host the Governing Council meeting.
The environmental footprint of the meeting
The Bank of Greece is committed to monitoring and improving its environmental footprint across its functions. It uses electricity generated by renewable energy sources and implements energy-saving policies.
In the context of the meeting of the ECB Governing Council in Athens, the Bank of Greece took additional measures to improve its environmental footprint, choosing environmentally responsible practices and food/accommodation services, at the same time encouraging the participants to adhere to environmental ethical standards.
Audiovisual material:
- To view a video of the preparation and conduct of the meeting (behind the cameras), click here:
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