The government’s planning for 2026 brings 100 reforms and projects across 24 policy sectors, with the government deciding to give greater publicity to the government’s 2025 report and 2026 planning.
Within this framework was the press conference given last Tuesday by Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, Minister of State Akis Skertsos, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Thanasis Kontogeorgis and General Secretary for Coordination Evi Dramaliotis.
Government’s 2026 planning brings reforms and projects: Positive agenda
As government officials emphasized speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, this move signals the government’s effort to return to a “positive agenda” and bring government work and reforms to the center of political discussion. Additionally, the government believes that public dialogue as it is conducted often does injustice to government work. They are particularly concerned, as they noted, by the erroneous perception that the government “ran” during the first four-year term and is not “running” in the second. For this reason, they say in the government, further initiatives must be undertaken for more systematic promotion and presentation of government work. “This work must start now and not wait for the pre-election period,” emphasized a government vice-presidency official speaking to ANA-MPA.
Setting the bar high
Beyond these, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ directive is to intensify government work and reforms. This year is crucial for completing the government work of the 2nd term and the Prime Minister sets the bar high, noted the same sources. In this context, the choice was made to give greater publicity to this year’s planning. Indeed, Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis spoke of a “paradigm shift so that citizens know in detail the government commitments, but also so the government knows that citizens are monitoring and controlling it.”
The government, government officials noted, commits itself to high rates of government work production and reforms – and moreover, they added, at a time when “the opposition demagogues uncontrollably, we have an honest relationship with the citizens.” It is recalled that at the press conference, Minister of State Akis Skertsos condensed the government’s 2025 report into “40 top moments” while Kostis Hatzidakis outlined the 2026 planning in “10
The complete planning
ANA-MPA presents today the government planning by policy sector. These are 100 reforms and projects distributed across 23 policy sectors, specifically for: income support, Economic Growth, Public Property utilization, Development, Foreign Policy and Extroversion, Infrastructure, Transport, Environment and Energy, Agricultural Development, Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, Labor, Health, Education, Housing, transparency enhancement, Public Administration and Local Government, Migration, Civil Protection, Culture, National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities, Tourism, Shipping, Public Safety, Defense.
Analytically:
Income support
– Reduction of insurance contributions by an additional 0.5% (2027)
– Wage increases in public and private sectors
– 30% VAT reduction on islands of North Aegean Region, Evros prefecture (Samothrace) and Dodecanese prefecture with population up to 20,000 inhabitants
– Payment of 250 euro support to low pensioners, persons with disabilities and uninsured
– 50% ENFIA reduction for approximately 1 million property owners, especially in Evros, Western Macedonia and mainland border areas
– Reduction of living standards presumptions for 477,000 taxpayers
– Further increase of minimum wage to 950 euros (2027)
– Rent subsidy
– Pension increases based on GDP and inflation
– Significant income tax reduction for freelancers and farmers due to reduced rates (2027)
– Significant tax reduction for more than 160,000 property owners due to reduced rate for rental income (2027)
Economic growth
– Successful completion of National Recovery and Resilience Plan
– Electronic Public Investment Program II (ePIP II)
– Integrated Information System for fiscal management (govERP): Preparation of 2027 Budget within govERP
– Completion of digital transformation of tax audits: Procurement of advanced business intelligence (BI) and data analytics system
– Activation of 4.7 billion euros from Social Climate Fund
Public property utilization
– Implementation of two redevelopments: PYRKAL, TIF-HELEXPO
– Lavrio Port Organization: Signing of concession contract
– Concessions in road networks, ports, marinas: Argostoli marina, Pylos marina, Kavala Cruise port (Sub-concession), Katakolo Cruise port (Sub-concession)
– Kalamata Airport: Completion of price payment
– Gkoni Camp utilization: Declaration of Preferred Concessionaire
– Foundation for Management and Liquidation of Inheritances and Dormant Charitable Assets: Start of operation, Development
– Simplification of economic activity licensing procedures and supervision enhancement: Law publication & Secondary legislation issuance – 34 acts
– New National Authority for Consumer Protection: Start of operation
– Upgrade of institutional framework for Foreign Direct Investment: Law publication
– New electronic consumer platform with comparison of national and international prices of basic goods
– Business environment simplification: Reduction of bureaucracy and administrative burdens by 25% (12 intervention points)
Foreign policy & extroversion
– Preparation of Greek EU Council Presidency
– Transformation of Enterprise Greece into integrated extroversion hub
– Implementation of Greek priorities during two-year term in UN Security Council
– Hellenic Aid Agency: Creation of body for implementing bilateral development cooperation programs
– Strategic Plan for Extroversion and export enhancement 2026-2030
– Export Credit Greece (ECG): Operational Modernization
Infrastructure
– Restoration projects: Road network and Railway infrastructure affected by extreme weather phenomena Daniel and Elias
– Extension of Thessaloniki Metro towards Kalamaria
– Central Greece Highway E65: Delivery of northern section Trikala-Egnatia Road
– Upgrade of rail transport and civil aviation safety systems
– Sports infrastructure: Material-technical upgrade of OAKA
Transport
Road safety plan:
– Traffic Collision Map: Completion of Electronic Application
– Enhancement of police response
– Procurement of >2,500 cameras for road safety
Railway sector organizational reform:
– Appointment of Technical Director
– Issuance of revised General Traffic Regulation
– Implementation plan execution for Hellenic Railways: Upgrade of Thessaloniki-Eidomeni railway axis. Development of central Athens Railway Station (Phase B)
– Connection with Metro network
– New platforms
Buses:
– Athens: 125 Electric buses 12 meters (TAA)
– Thessaloniki: 50 Electric buses 18 meters (TAA)
Environment & Energy
– Water shortage response plan: Law publication
– Major water supply projects
* Procurement of “Evrytos” public project
* Kithairon Canal
* Thebes Canal to Mornos Aqueduct
Declaration of temporary contractors
– Establishment of new special spatial frameworks: RES, Industry, Tourism
– Restructuring of building services – Integration into Cadastre: Law publication & Start of pilot operation
– New framework for accelerating building energy upgrade and efficiency
Agricultural development
– Agricultural subsidies reform & strategic planning of new CAP
– Food Control System enhancement: Institutional reform, Digital tools, Improved coordination
– Irrigation network investments: Water transfer projects from Nestos river to Xanthi valley. Modernization of TOEV Tavropos irrigation networks. Irrigation Network in Yperias-Orfanon Karditsa locations. Dam and irrigation network in Agios Ioannis Ierapetra Crete. Dam and irrigation network in Minagiotiko Messinia location.
Digital governance and Artificial Intelligence
– Lighthouse AI Factory: Operational Start, Platform Design Completion
– Daedalus Supercomputer: Start of operation
– Cadastre Completion: Completion of public posting for all property rights in the country
– Ultra Fast Broadband (UFBB): Fiber optic network development in semi-urban and rural areas
– 5G Antenna Network in remote and border areas without adequate coverage
– Mission Critical Networks for Security Forces
Labor
– Collective Labor Agreements enhancement: Legislation of Social Agreement for Collective Labor Agreement Enhancement
– New minimum wage increase
– Digital Work Card: Phase C implementation, New sector integration, Ministerial Decision issuance
– Completion of Handwritten Insurance Stamps Digitization
– Institutional Framework improvement for Professional Insurance Funds
Health
– Completion of building facilities upgrade: 156 Primary Health Care (PHC) structures
– Completion of building renovations: 80 NHS Hospitals
– Long-term Mental Health Care Strategy: Law publication
– Digital Health:
National Electronic Health Record
Patient Medical Record Interoperability:
* in 112 hospitals
* with third-party health information systems (e.g. EOPYY)
National Telemedicine Network Extension
Education
– New School & National Diploma institutionalization: Law Publication
– Extension of “Marietta Giannakou” school unit renovation program to at least 214 school units (phase b)
– Start of operation of 8 new Onassis Schools
– Start of operation of 9 new Experimental Schools
– 13 Regional Innovation Centers
– Review of school unit & teacher evaluation framework: KEDASY redesign, new diagnostic tools
– Establishment of Higher School of Performing Arts: Law Publication, Secondary legislation issuance
Housing
– Affordable housing program: Utilization of 3 inactive military camps for construction of about 1300 homes – 1st tender issuance
– Social Exchange: Utilization of first 10 public properties granted to YKOISO – 1st tender issuance
– 6 additional interventions for affordable housing:
1. Housing renovation program prioritizing old closed houses
2. Two rent returns for teachers, doctors and nurses regardless of income
3. Upgrading state buildings in mountainous and island areas to create housing for public servants
4. Additional restrictions on short-term rental
5. New incentive framework for more private investments in affordable housing sector
6. Urban planning regulations for quick conversion of existing properties to residential use
Justice
– Alternative Dispute Resolution Code: Code publication
– Completion of Judicial Building construction and upgrade projects
* Piraeus Courts-judicial services
* Council of State
* National School of Judicial Officers
* Athens Court of Appeal
* Court of Audit
– Digital Justice
* Extension of teleconferencing services and Electronic Board
* Digital criminal service operation via gov.gr
– Digital Case File
Application of digital case file in:
* 100% in cadastral disputes
* 60% in civil justice disputes
– Inheritance Law: Code publication
– Complete reform of legal profession practice, examinations for legal profession license and lawyer promotions: Law publication
– Platform for appeal scheduling: Complete clearance by 2028 – Transparency Enhancement
– National Anti-Corruption Plan 2026-2030: Plan publication
– Implementation of new disciplinary law for public servants
– Anti-Corruption Management System Certification (ISO 37001): For 35 public sector and Local Government bodies
– Development of digital Registry for corruption case monitoring: Law publication
Public Administration & Local Government
– Legislative initiative with measures to improve state-citizen relationship
– Digital card implementation in Public sector
– Development of Bureaucracy Index (BMI) & Bureaucracy Observatory Extension: Administrative burden measurement for 20 administrative procedures
– Local Government Code: Law publication
– Procedure simplification from National Procedure Registry “MITOS” for economic activity: 400 administrative procedures for simplification
Migration
– New Migration Pact emphasizing illegal migrant returns:
* Law Publication
* National Implementation Plan implementation
* AMMR Directorate establishment (Asylum and Migration Management Regulation)
* Dublin Unit restructuring
– Implementation of bilateral legal migration agreements:
* Egypt agreement extension (5,000 workers in construction and agricultural sectors)
* Agreement signing with Philippines and/or India
* Consultation with Armenia, Georgia and Moldova
– Legal migration
* Law Publication
* Greek language learning and professional training for beneficiaries and applicants for international protection with strong refugee profile – Immediate integration into Greek society and labor market, especially in construction, agricultural work and tourism sectors.
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