OT FORUM – Attica-Piraeus Association of Industries VP: Welcoming Ukrainian refugees by supporting industrial production

This is the first time that we have the opportunity to combine the evils of a humanitarian crisis and the attitude we must take with the ability to meet the needs of the country, said the vice president of the Attica-Piraeus Association of Industries, Stavros Theodoropoulos at the OT Forum and the theme “Greek industry and Ukraine,” who explained that 300,000 craftsmen and skilled industrial workers are missing from Greek industry.

“Industrial culture is missing”

“We can not ignore the fact that (in Greece) there is a shift towards technical education,” said Mr. Theodoropoulos, but “these measures will take 3-5 years to start working” and about a decade to create the appropriate bases. According to the vice-president of the Attica-Piraeus Association of Industries, Greece “lacks industrial culture”, while the mass exodus of Ukrainians due to the war gives the opportunity to foster a new generation having the image of how production works.

Stavros Theodoropoulos urged “to do what other European countries are doing”, noting that two years ago Ukraine had protested in Poland as the latter within three years had “wooed” tens of thousands of skilled craftsmen. Speaking of a “mass exodus”, Mr. Theodoropoulos noted that people will leave (Ukraine) because the industry has been destroyed and life will be difficult, estimating even that there will be 10 million Ukrainian immigrants and refugees.

“Competition for a skilled workforce”

He revealed that the Attica-Piraeus Association of Industries had a first discussion with the Ukrainian ambassador in Athens, who replied that the Ukrainians are currently temporarily residing in Greece. “But the reality is that people will stay out of Ukraine and there will be competition with other countries for a skilled workforce,” said Mr. Theodoropoulos, noting that in Greece there is still no platform for issuing work permits.

He reminded that the development of the period 2000-2007 was based on migrant workers, who after 2010 have left the country. He said one of the problems that needs to be resolved is that Ukrainians who are in Greece before the start of the Russian invasion on February 24 are not entitled to residence permits, despite the fact that they cannot return.

On the energy crisis

It is noted that the vice president of the Attica-Piraeus Association of Industries, referring to the energy crisis, noted that medium voltage industrial consumers are “completely exposed” to increases, talking about tripling energy costs in production at medium voltage. “It simply came to our notice then. A bill that used to come with an average cost, including the regulated charges, 80-100 euros / megawatt hour, now reaches 200 euros / megawatt hour while we have seen 300 euros / megawatt hour.”