The government is prioritizing recent weeks’ energy developments and upcoming economic support measures, assessing the impact these two policy aspects have on public opinion. The GPO poll for “Parapolitika” showed that positive views on the energy agreement concerning future hydrocarbon extraction in the Ionian Sea are in the majority, while a series of measurements indicate that measures affecting citizens’ wallets have not yet been felt, raising the need for better promotion at the Maximos Mansion.
In his regular Monday meeting with the President of the Republic, Kostas Tasoulas, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis set the tone, beginning his remarks with developments and agreements with ExxonMobil, the USA, Ukraine, etc. For the first time, he analyzed the four practical benefits of these agreements, providing the political narrative that will accompany them moving forward.
Benefits from energy sector developments
The first benefit is geopolitical, with the upgrading of our country’s geopolitical position, as Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized, “especially in an environment of major geopolitical realignments and upheavals.” The Prime Minister characterized the agreements for the Vertical Corridor and the potential natural gas extraction west of Corfu as “a very significant development that strengthens our country geopolitically and energetically,” and simultaneously as the “best proof that all this persistent policy of upgrading our country’s position followed by our government in recent years now has concrete and tangible results.”
The second benefit relates to Greece’s transformation into an energy hub for the Eastern Mediterranean and Southeastern Europe, as our country, he stressed, “from a peripheral player in energy matters, now becomes a protagonist, on one hand as a gateway for American natural gas to the European continent with final destination reaching Ukraine, and on the other hand with the launch of very significant initiatives for exploring natural gas deposits in our homeland.”
The third benefit relates to strengthening the country’s position in the security sector, something that, without Mr. Mitsotakis mentioning it publicly, is directly influenced by the presence of two American energy giants, ExxonMobil and Chevron, and the investments of hundreds of millions of euros they are preparing to make, as well as Washington’s choice to utilize Alexandroupolis as one of the key entry points for American liquefied natural gas into the European market.
Fourth, the impact on the economy and in the near future on the state budget. The major energy agreements “will lead to more investments, expansion of alternative energy sources for our homeland and, naturally, if we have positive developments in the extraction sector, to a very significant strengthening of public finances with a horizon of decades,” said Mr. Mitsotakis.
Government’s “weapons” against high prices
Regarding economic support measures as a bulwark against continuing high prices, the government has two new “weapons”: The €250 support payment made on Monday to pensioners over 65 years old with annual income up to €14,000 for single/widowed individuals or up to €26,000 for married couples and with real estate property up to €200,000 or €300,000 respectively. And this Friday’s payment of one month’s rent refund to approximately 1 million households. The amount reaches up to €800, increased by €50 for each dependent child and concerns rent for primary or student residence.
These interventions, as government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis emphasized, are part of the large package of measures worth €2.5 billion, which will unfold over the coming months and benefit over 5 million citizens. The package, as he mentioned, includes: Reductions in wage labor burdens, new increases in salaries and pensions, gradual abolition of personal difference, increases for uniformed personnel, new framework of support for households and vulnerable groups.
