Greek Americans Bringing Ex-President Clinton to Greece
ATHENS – A group of prominent Greek Americans who tried to help aid Greece during its economic crisis when former PASOK leader George Papandreou was Prime Minister, are trying again – and this time they’re bringing former U.S. President Bill Clinton to promote accountable Greek charities. Clinton is coming to Greece this week through the Hellenic Initiative Program backed by Diaspora business executives, lawyers, scientists and others, including Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris; Washington attorney George Stamas, and New York money manager John Calamos. Their goal is to raise $100 million that would be used to help Greek charity groups, try to help Greece make structural reforms including tax collections to raise revenues in a culture of rampant tax evasion, and promote foreign investment.
A similar meeting with Papandreou in New York, in which they offered to help Greece, did not yield any programs. Clinton will meet Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, whose New Democracy Administration is working in a coalition government with PASOK and the tiny Democratic Left, in a closed-door meeting on July 22.