FRANKFURT, Jan 29 (Reuters) - The worst times have passed the Greek economy and it is turning a corner even as it continues to contract, the country's central bank chief said on Tuesday.

'I think that the worst is over. We can be more optimistic,' Bank of Greece Governor George Provopoulos told Financial Times in a video interview.

'The evidence is that we have legislated everything included in the programme and the government is accelerating its pace towards implementing all elements of the programme.'

Provopoulos said that even though the outlook is for a 4 to 4.5 percent fall in gross domestic product (GDP) this year, psychologically the country has turned a corner.

((For the interview, click on: http://video.ft.com/v/2127012636001/-Worst-is-over-for-Greece))

(Reporting by Sakari Suoninen and Eva Kuehnen) Keywords: GREECE ECONOMY/PROVOPOULOS

(sakari.suoninen@thomsonreuters.com)(+49 69 7565 1267)(Reuters Messaging: sakari.suoninen.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)

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