Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke about a government that delivers on its promises at the handover ceremony for the northern section of the Central Greece motorway E65, specifically at the 167th kilometre, which connects Trikala to the Egnatia Odos motorway. The Greek Prime Minister accused opposition parties of investing in “misery and negativity”, while his government already operates with the vision of a thriving Greece by 2030. Speaking on the afternoon of Thursday, April 23rd, he recalled that back in 2019 the road was “half-built and didn’t end where it had been designed to.” He opened his remarks by stating: “Greece can change, and it changes every single day. The era of stagnation belongs firmly in the past. This is a government that says ‘we promised it and we delivered it’,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared of the motorway project. “When we came to office in 2019, we inherited a half-finished road that stopped nowhere near where it had been planned to. Its future was uncertain. When I had conducted an inspection of the southern section, I had pledged that the road would not remain unfinished. We managed to cut through the bureaucracy and convince everyone that this project simply could not be left incomplete,” Mitsotakis said. He also recounted how he personally shared his story with the President of the European Commission, who ultimately approved his request to allow the project to be completed.
“This is where the Recovery Fund money went”
Kyriakos Mitsotakis also took the opportunity to respond to criticism over the use of Recovery Fund money. “This is where the Recovery Fund money went — right here,” he stressed, after explaining how the government had successfully channelled the project into the Recovery and Resilience Facility. “This was also a personal bet of mine, just as it was with the Patras–Pyrgos corridor. Let me remind you what we inherited there — a project broken into eight separate pieces. Now, the great personal challenge ahead is the Northern Road Axis, and I am certain it will be completed. But there’s no point in dwelling on the failures of the past. Life is happening now. I want to thank the construction companies. Tomorrow we are opening to traffic a project that is a symbol of how Greece refuses to get stuck halfway. It stretches 182.1 kilometres — I won’t repeat all the numbers, or the hours saved for those travelling to Kozani and Grevena.”
He further emphasised that the motorway now saves valuable time for citizens, workers, and entrepreneurs: “Western Thessaly is now accessible from the north, not only from the south. It means that a producer won’t lose hours sending goods to Athens, a truck driver won’t waste hours behind the wheel, and a student won’t think twice about the journey home to visit family. This is a project that breaks the geographical isolation of dozens of villages. It puts into practice the principle of equal development for all — a commitment of this government. With the E65, Greece reclaims its natural position as a transport hub for the entire southeastern Mediterranean region. The very project mobilises many forces across different fields. This government has proven that with projects being delivered across the entire country.” He added: “We raced against time, we approached nature, its fauna and flora with respect, and we proved that with planning and hard work, everything is achievable.” “The regions are not just getting infrastructure that merely patches up the effects of natural disasters, but modern, superior infrastructure,” he said, before concluding: “Our compass is stability and consistency in a world of great uncertainty, with the goal of continuously improving citizens’ daily lives.”
“We believe in tourism 365 days a year”
“Every such intervention strengthens our infrastructure in the face of a climate crisis that is very much present. I want to make special mention of the Vasilitsa ski resort. These projects leave a lasting mark — we believe in mountain tourism, we believe in tourism 365 days a year. Although 45 million tourists visit us each year, mountain Greece is absolutely something we want tourists to discover,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, while also paying tribute to his father, Konstantinos, in reference to the Egnatia Odos — “a project he himself envisioned.” He then spoke about the upcoming works on the Egnatia motorway to be funded through the Recovery Fund, and previewed a regional tour during which he will speak to citizens about what the government is doing — including much that goes unannounced.
“Our government doesn’t just promise new projects. It builds them and delivers them to society. We have the plan and the will to make it happen. Our political opponents are mired in the misery of yesterday — we respond with action, with our vision for Greece in 2030. With the symbolic cutting of the ribbon, a long cycle of waiting is essentially brought to a close. This motorway belongs to you. To the people who work hard, to the people who choose to stay in their homeland. Your progress is the vindication of our efforts. Our country moves boldly forward. I wish you safe travels on our newest achievement. Welcome, E65,” the Prime Minister concluded.
“Mitsotakis didn’t drop the ball at the critical moment”
Deputy Infrastructure Minister Nikos Tachiaos, Deputy Transport Minister Giorgos Kotsireas, and Christos Dimas had spoken earlier. The latter, in fact, thanked Kyriakos Mitsotakis while also hinting at broader implications. “The only year Greece did not record growth was 2020, due to Covid-19. Kyriakos Mitsotakis didn’t drop the ball at the critical moment and secured millions of euros,” said the Infrastructure and Transport Minister. Christos Dimas had noted the following: “Today, a project of national importance reaches completion. With the opening of the northern section of the E65 — the final 45 kilometres connecting Kalambaka to Grevena — a modern motorway is completed, linking Central Greece and Thessaly with Western Macedonia and Epirus. The E65 is not simply a road. It is a strategic piece of infrastructure that reshapes the transport map, enhances road safety, significantly reduces travel times, and creates new development prospects for local communities, tourism, transport, and business. The government is delivering to its citizens a high-specification motorway that directly connects the PATHE (Athens–Thessaloniki) highway with the Egnatia Odos, strengthening Greece’s role as a modern transit hub in southeastern Europe. We continue consistently investing in projects that improve citizens’ daily lives, boost regional development, and create a safer and more modern infrastructure network for the country.”
He also noted that the government is investing more than one billion euros in the region through Recovery Fund allocations and announced plans for upgrading works on the Egnatia motorway. “Our goal is to reduce road accidents and fatalities at a very fast pace,” he said.
Tachiaos: “We serve our duty to improve the lives of Greek citizens”
Deputy Infrastructure and Transport Minister Nikos Tachiaos stated that “I am someone whose family has always moved between Epirus and Macedonia,” adding that the roads connecting Central and Northern Greece were opened under New Democracy governments. “We continue to serve this duty of improving the lives of Greek citizens,” he said characteristically.
Deputy Transport Minister Giorgos Kotsireas stressed that “this project comes from the past but has a very bright future ahead of it. Without better infrastructure and modern roads, we cannot talk about road safety. And this government has managed to reduce road accidents and save human lives.” For his part, the Governor of Western Macedonia, Giorgos Amanatidis, noted: “We desire, are working towards, and are planning for the E65 to become an axis for transporting goods and services from our regions — not an easy escape route for our residents.”
Secretary-General of Infrastructure Dimitris Anagnopoulos emphasised that a key driver in accelerating the delivery of this project was the Prime Minister’s initiative to secure its funding through the Recovery and Resilience Facility, to the tune of 450 million euros. He spoke of consistent planning and strong collaboration among all parties involved, with the aim of achieving results — leaving a significant new legacy for the country in the delivery of public works.
GEK TERNA Chairman and CEO Giorgos Peristeris gave a historical overview of the challenges that arose during the project’s implementation from 2009 through to 2020, when works were restarted, thanking all those who contributed to its completion.
The E65 motorway: total length reaches 182.1 km
The completion of the project forms part of the broader strategic plan for developing the country’s major road infrastructure, with the European Union having approved the funding that made this particular section possible.
With the handover of the new section, the E65 motorway now reaches a total length of 182.1 kilometres, connecting Lamia — via its junction with the Athens–Thessaloniki motorway — all the way to the Egnatia Odos.
The new road connection is expected to significantly reduce travel times, with the journey now taking approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, offering drivers a modern motorway with enhanced safety and comfort features.
Technical specifications of the project
The E65 is built to the full capacity of a modern motorway with 2 lanes per direction, plus an Emergency Lane, and was constructed entirely on a new alignment, connecting Eastern with Western Greece.
It includes:
- 14 grade-separated interchanges & 4 half-interchanges
- 5 twin tunnels, the longest being Tunnel T2 at 3 km (Othris mountain range, Moschokarya)
- 31 bridges, the longest being the Pineios River Bridge at 595 m
- 114 overpasses & underpasses
- 8 double-sided parking & rest areas and 2 single-branch rest areas
- 4 Control & Maintenance Centres
- 4 Tunnel Control Centres
- 1 Traffic Management Centre
- 3 traffic police buildings and 1 fire service building
- 4 motorist service stations (Lianokladi, Sofades, Raxa, and Karpero) — ONLY Lianokladi & Sofades currently operational
- 1 Customer Service Point (Trikala Frontal Toll Station, towards Lamia)
- 4 frontal toll stations and 5 lateral toll stations
