“We must maintain a framework of understanding and functional channels of cooperation with the United States, even during periods of tension. While making our red lines clear,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated among other things in his traditional weekly review.
The Prime Minister’s full statement:
“Good morning. This past week highlighted the challenges of the emerging new world, the importance of transatlantic relations, but much more importantly, the value of European strategic autonomy. As we discussed in Thursday’s extraordinary European Council, Europe must be united, defending international law and the sovereignty of its member states, as in the case of Denmark and Greenland. At the same time, we must maintain a framework of understanding and functional channels of cooperation with the United States, even during periods of tension. While making our red lines clear. Greece, as a member of the European Union with a strategic relationship with the US, works for solutions that strengthen multilateralism, security and stability. Not in confrontation, but in understanding with our allies. We support Europe’s strategic autonomy through stronger defense and greater competitiveness, we seek an active European role in Gaza and the Middle East, and we take substantial initiatives in the European Union and the UN Security Council. In a world of uncertainty, Europe’s cohesion and our homeland’s multilateral strength will determine our credibility and the power of our voice.
These are the circumstances around us. Domestically, our job is one: to move forward with a plan, strengthening our homeland’s stability. The path is one: reforms. This is also reflected in the government’s planning for 2026, which was presented this week. It is a concrete plan, with 30 reforms and projects and 10 flagship legislative interventions in all critical policy areas: from income support and confronting the deep state, to upgrading the NHS and public schools, urban planning reform and strengthening national defense and civil protection. I invite you to see it in detail, along with the 2025 report, which are posted on the General Secretariat for Coordination website https://gsco.gov.gr. So everyone can see them and judge us.
And because plans have value only when they become action, below you will find some examples of our commitments we have already implemented.
The first is the completion of the road axis from Dimario of Xanthi to the Greek-Bulgarian border. A project of particular importance for the local community, as it improves transportation and expands economic activity in the wider region. This road is part of the vertical axis “Xanthi-Echinos-Greek-Bulgarian Border” and is part of the trans-European transport network, constituting a tangible example of successful cooperation with our northern neighbors, Bulgaria and Romania, in the Baltic-Black Sea-Aegean corridor.
With the same logic of consistency, we are also proceeding with the systematic strengthening of Primary Health Care, with the most recent evidence being the fully renovated and upgraded Health Centers of Vari and Koropi, which serve a large part of the population of Eastern Attica. The interventions concerned both the building facilities and their energy and functional upgrade, while we have already significantly strengthened them in human resources since 2019. The Vari Health Center now has 48 health workers from 39 who served in previous years, while the Koropi Health Center is now staffed with 53 employees (medical, nursing and other personnel) and coverage of three more permanent medical staff positions is pending.
I change topics to refer to the dismantling of a multi-member criminal organization that systematically defrauded consumers by bypassing input-output systems at gas stations. According to the Hellenic Police, in the last five years alone, this organization is estimated to have gained at least 25 million euros from deficit fuel deliveries through illegal software installed in pumps. Congratulations are due to the so-called Greek FBI which, through methodical work and cooperation with AADE, manages significant “hits” on criminal activities against society and the state. However, I want to focus on the institutional result of this effort. Since 2024, new regulations, intensive controls and strict penalties for fuel smuggling have been activated. The result is measurable: 699 special orders were issued to stop fuel distribution and circulation at gas stations (105 in 2024, 564 in 2025 and 30 in 2026). Two-year sealing was imposed on 40 gas stations, while operation and supply were stopped at dozens more connected to violating networks. Economic and administrative penalties are severe, because quite simply no one can play with consumers’ pockets. 2026 is expected to be a landmark year, as the input-output system is digitally connected with AADE’s myDATA. Thus, over 6,000 public and private gas stations will now be controlled with even greater accuracy and effectiveness.
Another topic worth highlighting is the increase recorded in 2025 in Patent and Trademark deposits in our country. According to data from the Industrial Property Organization, last year recorded a historic record in applications for national Patents, which reached 1,107. This is not an isolated event, but the result of a steady course in recent years, reflecting the country’s technological dynamism and its convergence with international technological trends. The contribution of Greek Universities and Research Institutes stands out in this course, with intense inventive activity in the fields of diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, Artificial Intelligence and materials. This is a knowledge core that feeds a more mature and competitive innovation ecosystem. At the same time, the picture is improving in the field of trademarks, where the granting time has been reduced from several months to just a few days, practically facilitating business activity. It is no coincidence that applications for trademark registration in 2025 amounted to 7,663, from 6,337 in 2024, recording an increase of 20.9% and confirming the dynamism of the Greek market.
A brief reference to Sports, where support is strengthened again this year. Funding from taxation of gambling profits increases to 80 million euros, from 66 million last year, and is directed to 6,453 amateur sports clubs registered in e-Kouros. Since 2022, when sports support from betting profits was instituted for the first time, total funding has doubled, from 250 to 500 million euros. At the same time, for the first time, National Sports Facilities will be available free of charge for training to all National Teams, in all sports, addressing a chronic cost for Federations. Especially for island clubs, the funding coefficient is increased and reaches up to 60%.
And I will close with culture and the repatriation of 5 important antiquities – an Attic marble relief from the second half of the 4th century BC and five bronze anthropomorphic figurines – from London to the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus. The objects were in possession of the company Robin Symes Limited under liquidation and thanks to the methodical long-term and documented claim by the Ministry of Culture, they returned to their homeland. Another substantial step for the protection and restoration of our cultural heritage.
I bid you farewell! See you next Sunday!”
