The Greek government’s inner circle is planning a major push into Northern Greece over the next 20 days, with Thessaloniki and the broader Macedonia region taking center stage in what has been dubbed “Operation North” — a critical political gamble for the ruling New Democracy party. From the coming Monday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ advisors will be back at their desks at the Prime Minister’s office, with preparations entering their final stretch ahead of the pivotal Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) — the last one before the upcoming elections. A mass announcement of 100+ New Democracy parliamentary candidates is also expected in mid-September, as the party machine shifts into high gear following the summer recess.
“Operation North” kicks off in Thessaloniki: preparations for Mitsotakis’ TIF appearance
For the next twenty days, the government’s campaign focuses on the North, timed around the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair, beginning with a visit by K. Mitsotakis to Thessaloniki on August 27 for his customary meetings with business and professional bodies of Macedonia.
Thessaloniki marks the first stop of “Operation North,” where an event is being planned at the city’s Concert Hall to showcase government interventions aimed at developing Macedonia’s regional units, with a particular emphasis on infrastructure projects and ongoing investments. Key highlights include the completion of Thessaloniki Metro’s main line and its extension toward Kalamaria, the suburban railway in Western Thessaloniki, the Flyover highway interchange, two new hospitals — a Children’s Hospital and an Oncology Center — upgrades to school infrastructure, the redevelopment of the TIF grounds, and the Holocaust Museum.
Traditionally, August and the first week of September see Northern Greece at the heart of government attention due to preparations for the Prime Minister’s TIF address. However, the pre-election nature of this year’s fair is driving an intensified government presence in Thessaloniki and Northern Greece more broadly, with the Prime Minister’s office closely watching polling numbers in Macedonia and Thrace — regions where right-wing voter erosion has been recorded within New Democracy’s electoral base.
Notably, parties positioned to the right of New Democracy are gaining their strongest momentum in Macedonia’s electoral districts, capitalizing on local ties and the northern Greek roots of their leaders (Velopoulos, Natsios, Latinopoulou, and Karystianou) — a trend that was already reflected in the 2024 European Parliament election results. Against this backdrop, New Democracy’s Secretary General, Konstantinos Kyranakis, is planning a sweeping ministerial and party official tour across Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, and Central and Western Macedonia, running from August 31 to September 4 — one day before the Prime Minister’s keynote speech at the Vellideio Conference Center.
Florina and Kozani: the next stops on Mitsotakis’ regional tour
The Prime Minister is expected to visit the regional units of Florina and Kozani on August 28, the day after his Thessaloniki appearance. In Western Macedonia, the government has struggled to effectively communicate its policy record and highlight its initiatives, partly due to local community concerns over the region’s ongoing decarbonization program. The Prime Minister’s office is now shifting its focus toward showcasing infrastructure projects and investment activity, with job creation as the primary objective. At the top of the Western Macedonia agenda are 16 already-implemented initiatives, including the E65 motorway, the horizontal Just Transition Clause, school and healthcare infrastructure upgrades, and DYPA employment programs.
In addition, seven projects are set for completion by year’s end, including a PPC Combined Heat and Power unit to supply district heating networks, the Grevena–Vasilitsa road link, and new natural gas networks in four cities across the region. The pipeline also includes three initiatives being implemented through year-end: a new subsidy program for heat pumps, solar water heaters, and battery-equipped photovoltaic systems covering 10,000 households, new support measures for the fur industry, and an income loss compensation scheme. Finally, six public works projects are set to be tendered by year’s end — including the Ptolemaida–Xyno Nero road connection, the Nestorio Dam, and new student dormitories — alongside five private investment plans at an advanced stage of implementation.
Originally published in Kyriakátiki Apogeumatini
