Brussels, 05/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - In Corfu and Epirus on 4 and 5 November, European Commissioner for Regional Development Johannes Hahn is continuing his tour of the 13 Greek regions in order to supervise the use of the reprogrammed structural funds designed to help relaunch growth in the country. Meetings with local political and economic representatives have been scheduled during this visit. The commissioner laid emphasis on the use of the regional funds for the modernisation of the healthcare system in Epirus and for sustainable tourism in Corfu, with a particular view to the treatment of waste waters. “An investment which is worth its money as people take increasingly environmental standards as one of their decisive criteria for where to go on holiday”. This means that he sees the ecological management of water as a virtuous circle which benefits locals, visitors and investors in Greece. In general, Hahn said that the regional funds could “push the recovery we are starting to see in the country. But the challenge is to channel money to the right place, to encourage growth and support reforms”. This is why these investments must aim to create good, sustainable jobs. He also said that, as long as he was commissioner, he would not accept “one single euro allocated to SMEs taken away to use for something else”. (MD transl.fl)