Greece funds new IMF Southeast Europe technical assistance centre as growth stays robust

Greece has agreed to become a founding partner of the IMF's Southeast Europe Regional Technical Assistance Centre (SEETAC), committing €1 million per year for five years, a total of €5 million. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva praised Greece's fiscal surplus and its transition from a programme recipient to a provider of reform expertise for Balkan and Moldovan countries.

At the same time, Eurobank Research notes that the Greek economy continued to outperform the euro area in the first quarter of 2026, expanding at an annualised 2.0 % rate. Growth was driven by strong investment and exports, with resilient industrial production despite higher energy prices and the war in the Persian Gulf. Inflation has risen to around 4.6‑4.9 %, and the European Commission has trimmed its 2026 growth forecast for Greece to 1.8 %.

Together, these developments underscore Greece's emerging role as both a regional economic stabiliser and a beneficiary of sustained domestic growth.