With the economy as its key weapon and the next major announcements approximately two months away at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), the Greek government is pressing forward, with party officials continuing their regional tours and the schedule shifting partially from original plans. Following visits to the Peloponnese, where ministers and party representatives are touring this week, the next stop will likely not be Thessaly but rather Attica — with Piraeus and the Maximos Mansion keen to focus on the greater Athens basin, which historically serves as the key barometer of every election. Today also marks three years since the last national elections, when New Democracy was re-elected with 40.56% of the vote, formally beginning the fourth and final year of the party’s second term in government.
Read also: Mitsotakis on the Katseli Law: Government exceeded expectations and sends a message of security to all compliant borrowers (Images & Video)
The €1 billion+ package Mitsotakis is preparing for the Thessaloniki International Fair
Speaking from Sparta as part of the ongoing regional tour, Makis Voridis signaled Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ intentions regarding the new package — valued at over €1 billion — to be unveiled in early September at the Thessaloniki International Fair. “I believe that in the coming period we will be in a position to announce initiatives that will meaningfully support merchants and self-employed professionals, making their day-to-day activities easier,” said the New Democracy MP and former minister.
Out-of-court settlement, 72 installments, and protected bank balances take center stage in government messaging
For the government, it is politically critical in the coming days to effectively communicate the bill passed by the Ministry of National Economy and Finance on Wednesday evening. Key measures include: the expansion of eligibility for the out-of-court debt settlement mechanism; the option to restructure debts in up to 72 installments for obligations that remained unresolved through the end of 2023; an increase in the protected threshold for bank accounts to €1,600 against all debts owed to the state and banks; and a one-time financial support payment of €150 per dependent child for families, with broadened income eligibility criteria.
Above all, however, the government is eager to highlight the solution reached — following a ruling by the Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) — for borrowers previously covered under the Katseli Law, who will now see a significant reduction in their monthly loan repayment installments. According to government estimates, more than 100,000 citizens will immediately see their monthly payments drop sharply, in many cases by as much as €300 per month.
Mitsotakis’ message on the economy and the clash with the opposition
“Building on the strong performance of the economy, we are fostering social cohesion and social convergence. And that is the spirit behind the private debt regulations — and indeed behind all of our reforms,” said the responsible minister, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, addressing Parliament’s plenary session. Earlier, during his regular meeting with President of the Republic Konstantinos Tasoulas, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis placed particular emphasis on this provision, stating that “the government has exceeded the expectations that had been built up and sends a clear message with its decision — creating legal certainty for all compliant borrowers, including by applying the principle of retroactivity.”
He also took aim, once again, at the economic programs and campaign promises of the opposition parties, signaling that this is a confrontation he is actively seeking and a comparison he welcomes. “The government has a duty to legislate and take initiatives guided by the real state of public finances,” Mitsotakis noted. “That is precisely why we do not make promises we cannot keep, and why we urge citizens to be extremely cautious and skeptical toward uncosted commitments that may sound appealing but far exceed what the budget can bear. This country has paid a very high price for allowing such inflated expectations to take hold.”
