With a French “Bonjour,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis began his weekly review in Sunday’s post, emphasizing against the backdrop of Macron’s visit that it’s always good “to confirm in practice that you have strong allies, especially when this translates into agreements that strengthen the country.”
He also referenced the disposable income support initiatives announced this week, noting that “our ‘recipe’ remains consistent: as the economy performs better than forecasts, the surplus will return to citizens, primarily to the most vulnerable.”
He continued by discussing initiatives in sectors like health, education, transport and public safety, as well as interventions for emergency issues, such as foot-and-mouth disease in Lesbos, where he announced four support measures.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s post
Bonjour! Today I greet you in French, obviously influenced by the visit of France’s President and friend Emmanuel Macron to Athens on Friday and Saturday. It’s always good to confirm in practice that you have strong allies, especially when this translates into agreements that strengthen the country.
In a critical geopolitical moment, we confirmed the strategic choice we made in 2021 to strengthen Greece-France relations, transforming them into a strong, multilevel alliance. The Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Relationship we signed just hours ago is a broad strategic agreement that upgrades and deepens Greek-French relations even further, marking our cooperation not only in defense, but also in economy, civil protection, migration, technology, environment, education and culture. This is an agreement that makes Greece more secure, enhances its geopolitical position and creates new opportunities and prospects for synergies, from artificial intelligence to cybersecurity. Simultaneously, we substantially strengthen our deterrent power through renewal of the 2021 strategic partnership agreement in defense and security. Greece and France are EU and NATO member states, while simultaneously becoming a strong Mediterranean axis, which we proved with defensive support to Cyprus, showing what European solidarity means in practice. We continue walking together on the path of a strong, competitive and autonomous Europe – topics we also discussed at the informal European Council in Cyprus. A Europe capable of standing confidently in an uncertain world and defending its citizens’ interests and values.
Beyond these very important developments, this past week focused on the economy and supporting disposable income. Our “recipe” remains consistent: as the economy performs better than forecasts, the surplus will return to citizens, primarily the most vulnerable. Our economy’s dynamism, as reflected in official Eurostat data, allowed us to announce Wednesday 8 new support measures totaling €500 million.
How these measures translate:
– 1.86 million pensioners and people with disabilities will see their annual allowance increase from €250 to €300
– Over 1 million tenants will receive one month’s rent back after expanding income criteria we announced
– 3.3 million parents with children will receive €150 per child
– 1.3 million individuals and 284,000 businesses and freelancers with overdue state debts can settle debts more easily with 72 installments
– 250,000 professional farmers will receive additional support for fuel and fertilizers
– The 20-cent diesel subsidy extends through May
I know well that no single measure can eliminate international price pressures alone. However, the fact that Greece is today one of only five EU countries with a surplus allows us to provide solutions without risking what we’ve built.
Another positive economic news from Europe, as the 7th installment of €1.18 billion from the Recovery and Resilience Fund was disbursed, bringing our total receipts to €24.6 billion in 4.5 years. Resources transforming into projects the country needed for decades: from hospital renovations and state digital modernization to infrastructure making Greece a modern country.
However, since no week brings only pleasant news, I come to the foot-and-mouth disease problem emerging in Lesbos livestock units. A major coordinated battle is being fought, mobilizing all available resources and forces to contain and eradicate the disease from the island. I want livestock farmers to know we stand with them and are already developing a comprehensive support framework without financial ceiling, with 4 basic interventions covering livestock losses, income, feed costs and dairy production impacts. This is a battle we must fight together. I ask producers to faithfully follow biosafety measures to contain the disease as quickly as possible.
Next topic for today: the “Social Tourism” program, applications for which began Tuesday to start running from May 18, earlier than previous years. This is a much-loved program – consider that from 2019 to today, over 1.2 million of our fellow citizens vacationed through it. This year, we provide 300,000 vouchers, with special attention to those most in need: large families are automatically included, while people with disabilities receive maximum scoring.
A very important development concerns accessibility for people with disabilities in the city, as the Free Transportation Service for People with Disabilities is strengthened with 7 more specially configured vehicles, raising the total OSY fleet to 10. What does this mean in practice? Available routes more than double. We’re not stopping at vehicles. We’re investing in people, training drivers and inspectors to provide needed support, and in technology, eliminating bureaucracy. With the Disability Card now directly connected to electronic tickets, our fellow citizens travel free without submitting documents and without past hassles.
Continuing in public health with the groundbreaking of the new building complex at “Attikon” University General Hospital, one of the major “flagships” of the National Health System designed to serve 80,000 people annually but now serving 200,000. That’s why the Stavros Niarchos Foundation donation has great significance and we thank them warmly. They are a national benefactor for the NHS – I’ll mention only the construction and equipment of three new, ultra-modern hospitals in Komotini, Thessaloniki and Sparta to be delivered within 12 months and will change the country’s hospital map. Regarding “Attikon,” the two new buildings will be completed and delivered to the State in 2027. They’ll serve the Hospital’s needs for beds and emergency physician spaces and house the National Coordination Center for Mobile Medical Units. Thank you again.
Greece’s digital education transformation earned OECD praise, noting that our country evolved from lagging in educational innovation to becoming one of the most dynamic examples of educational adaptation to the modern era, now ranking among countries not simply following developments but actively contributing to shaping them. Some examples: Digital School, thanks to which a child living on the most remote island or in a mountain village now has the same access to knowledge as a student in Athens. The Digital Tutorial for free student teaching, emphasizing preparation for Panhellenic Examinations. Tens of thousands of interactive boards in schools, communication applications like e-Parents strengthening school-family connections, and many other interventions. In short, we’ve made significant investments in digital infrastructure and educational resources.
The international tender held in October 2025 for electronic monitoring of defendants, convicts and prisoners on leave, the so-called “bracelets,” passed through the Court of Audit – an important step in modernizing the country’s criminal policy. I remind you that pilot implementation began in 2025 and now, after the “green light” from the Supreme Fiscal Court, is being fully implemented nationwide. Competent judicial authorities will naturally decide on the possibility of imposing the measure where legal requirements are met, but it’s clear that electronic monitoring mainly concerns lighter and medium-severity criminality, with particular emphasis on vulnerable groups like prisoners over 70, mothers with minor children and people with disabilities. It will never apply to those convicted of serious criminal acts.
On this occasion, let me congratulate once again the Organized Crime Unit staff for dismantling the gigantic illegal tobacco products trafficking network, with damage to the State exceeding €1 billion! The case allegedly involves 38 natural persons and 21 companies of every legal form plus 7 shipping companies. The Authority for combating money laundering from criminal activities proceeded with one of the largest asset freezes in Greece – luxury real estate, factories, cars, boats and 3 tankers.
I continue with another repatriation of Greek antiquities, a restoration of justice in culture. This time the return concerns five ancient artworks – vessels, bronze mirror, a statue and a relief fragment – dating between the 6th century BC and 2nd century AD that returned from the United States to the land that created them. They had been acquired by the Grey family, who contacted Greek authorities and offered to return them. This is a move we welcome. Every time one of our treasures returns home, a piece of our history is restored.
I close with very important positive news. This past week, credible international economic organizations, including the IMF, recorded that Greece has achieved in recent years the historically largest public debt reduction in Europe and globally. This reduction of 65 units or nearly 30% from pandemic highs is a conscious choice of fiscal responsibility and intergenerational solidarity toward our children. Simply because young Greeks must never again live in an over-indebted country that drives young people abroad. Our government will not pass the bill to future generations. Our goal is that from next year Greece will no longer be the EU country with the highest European debt, continuing consistently the convergence path with the rest of Europe in this critical field.
Obviously longer than last week’s review. Return to normalcy, one might say. See you next Sunday!
