US ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt again referred to the privatization of the Thessaloniki Port Authority (OL.Th) late last week, touching on the transparency of the transaction and the source of financing used by an international consortium, which includes a letter of guarantee by a Russian bank under US sanctions.
A special investment vehicle, South Europe Gateway Thessaloniki (SEGT), comprised of Germany's DIEP GmbH, France-based Terminal Link SAS and Βelterra Investments Lt, which is controlled by Greek-Russian businessman and investor Ivan Savvidis, finalized the purchase of 67 percent of the port authority this year, along with its management, for roughly 231.9 million euros paid to Greece’s privatization fund.
Pyatt spoke at an event in the northern Greek city organized by the American Universities Alumni Association of Northern Greece and the think tank "Neo Revma-Neo Orama".
In other statements, the US envoy reiterated that Greece is now again open for business and that the Greek economy has begun to recovery.
He also focused on the upcoming Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) in September, the largest trade exhibition in the country, where the United States is the honored nation for the 2018 TIF.
Pyatt also referred to the looming privatizations of another two, smaller, ports in northern Greece, Kavala and Alexandroupolis.
