Electoral dilemmas, reconnecting with voter groups that had partially or largely drifted away from New Democracy, showcasing the government’s achievements, and a four-year vision for Greece: this was the canvas upon which Kyriakos Mitsotakis sought to paint his eighth appearance at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair as Prime Minister — and the last before the next general election.
Thessaloniki Trade Fair: Mitsotakis’s electoral plan ahead of the next vote
The measures announced on Saturday evening at the Vellidio Convention Centre are, as Mr. Mitsotakis stated, the prologue to New Democracy’s new programme — one aimed at “a leap in prosperity for every citizen, from urban centres to the most remote village and the smallest island.” He set out a central ambition: to translate collective progress into individual advancement, and to return the benefits of growth to society as a dividend for every Greek citizen, without ever endangering fiscal stability.
Describing the Greece he envisions for 2030 — should New Democracy win the election and renew its mandate to govern — the Prime Minister outlined a series of targets, including bringing unemployment below 6%, sustaining annual economic growth of over 2% (double the European average), pushing the average wage above €1,800, steadily raising the minimum wage starting from €1,000 in 2028, and increasing investment from €46 billion to over €65 billion, covering 20% of GDP and narrowing Greece’s long-standing gap with the rest of Europe.
The only swipe at the opposition — and the “Mitsotakis or Tsipras” election dilemma
Notably, in his lengthy address, there was just one reference to the opposition — and it was directed exclusively at Alexis Tsipras. This implicitly but clearly signals that Mitsotakis’s camp views Tsipras as the preferred opponent heading into the next election, and that the Prime Minister’s office is actively seeking to frame the upcoming vote as a straight choice between the two leaders. The telling passage from his speech read as follows: “As for the opposition, I am only concerned with their reckless and uncosted proposals. They remind me, in fact, of the lyrics of a song. Written for different reasons, but I think it fits the demagogues like a glove. Especially someone whom Greece and Thessaloniki came to know well — through his programmes and his Metro project, both of which turned out to be nothing but hot air. The lyric, from a beautiful song by Dimitris Mitropanos and Aleka Kanellidou, says it all: ‘You speak so beautifully, but the thing is — I know you.'”
Farmers placed at the heart of the outreach effort
The €2.2 billion package of measures — encompassing subsidies, benefits and tax relief — touches many social and professional groups. Particularly noteworthy, however, are those who had to some degree distanced themselves from New Democracy, a shift that did not go unnoticed by the Prime Minister’s office. Beyond polling data, the government has been closely studying the findings of focus groups it regularly conducts, which provide valuable insight into voter sentiment. Farmers, who had experienced the fallout from the OPEKEPE scandal and payment delays caused by the transfer of the entire subsidy system to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), will now benefit from zero income tax on earnings up to €20,000 — for those who farm as their primary occupation.
Measures for businesses
Businesses, which had seen none of their key demands met at last year’s Thessaloniki Fair, will benefit from the abolition of the professional activity levy (in 2027 for regional businesses, in 2029 for those in Attica), as well as a 5% annual reduction in tax prepayment, bringing it down to 50% by the 2028 tax year.
What changes for freelancers
Freelancers — many of whom had expressed frustration with the minimum presumed income rules and the way they were calculated — heard announcements of changes to the presumptive taxation system, including an exemption from surcharges for compliant taxpayers, based on their turnover and payroll figures.
Pensioners to receive a higher annual bonus — €500 Christmas bonus for civil servants
At the same time, pensioners — who now make up almost a quarter of the country’s population and have traditionally been a more favourably disposed constituency for New Democracy — will receive an increased annual support payment of €400 (up from €300), applicable to all those aged 65 and over. Civil servants, meanwhile, will receive a Christmas bonus of €500 starting next year.
The €60,000 “piggy bank” for every child turning 18
On the demographic front, the package contained two notable surprises: the elimination of income tax for families with three or more children on earnings up to €20,000, and — most strikingly — an innovative new investment account scheme for newborns. The state will match whatever parents deposit each year, up to €1,200, effectively building a bank account that could exceed €60,000 by the time the child reaches the age of 18.
Mitsotakis’s message for the pre-election period
The central political narrative heading into the campaign — the message Kyriakos Mitsotakis intends to deliver in the run-up to next spring’s election — was laid out by the Prime Minister himself near the close of his speech: “I am proposing a new national unity, built on a broad social alliance — grounded in the patriotism of responsibility, the modernisation of creativity, and the care of society. And I believe that is where we will meet again with many people. Among them, perhaps, some that we may have let down. To them, I will not hesitate — and none of us should hesitate — to admit mistakes and extend a hand. But we must remind them that this political family, New Democracy, was and remains the only responsible national and social pillar.”
