Our principle is that surpluses should be returned to citizens, every available fiscal space will be utilized for the benefit of society,” emphasizes Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his weekly review, commenting that the primary surplus for the January-July period exceeds the target by €1.2 billion.
The Prime Minister referred to the improvement in the current account balance and the reduction of the trade balance deficit for goods by 2.4%. Tourist receipts have increased by 11%. “Very significant is the good performance of foreign direct investment, which in the first half is up €800 million compared to last year. All this shows an economy that is steadily improving and generating benefits that return to society,” he notes characteristically.
The Prime Minister’s weekly review in detail
Good morning to everyone! We return to our established Sunday review after a brief but necessary summer break. Of course, we took a short break, but events did not. I want to start with the diplomatic activity underway aimed at achieving a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine. It is encouraging that these days are marking the next steps of a path that we all hope will lead to peace. This gives me the opportunity to speak about Greece’s stance in the war. A stance dictated by our national interest, our geopolitical position, and the challenges arising from it. We do what our position in the core of the European Union and our major geopolitical choices dictate. We earned this position through hard work. Our homeland paid very dearly for European isolation during the years of the economic crisis. We will never allow Greece to find itself on the sidelines again. We supported Ukraine from the first moment. We supported the defender against the aggressor in a brazen invasion and flagrant violation of a country’s sovereignty.
We are with Europe. We are with the West. We are with international legitimacy. We cannot accept changing borders by force as common practice. We support an immediate ceasefire and the provision of strong security guarantees to Ukraine, so it can defend its sovereignty and prevent any future aggression. In this context, the United States’ assurance of support is pivotal. And I want to repeat that we are ready to contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction.
In closing, I want to say this: those who criticize us for supporting Ukraine, as all the West did, except for a few admirers of revisionism, are the same ones who with their stance ask us to forget the trauma of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Would they ask us to accept as legitimate the fait accompli of the illegal Turkish invasion? To legitimize illegal claims and challenges to our sovereign rights? Kiev is not far away. And certainly not far enough from what happens in our region.
Before moving to domestic developments, I would like to dwell on the loss of Apostolos Vesyropoulos. He was a modest and responsible politician who honored our party and served public life with consistency. A man who was cheerful, approachable, with genuine interest in his fellow citizens, who earned everyone’s respect and esteem. As secretary of the Parliamentary Group, he served with a sense of duty and ethics, as he always did throughout his political career. We will always remember him for his kindness, his smile, and his love for his homeland. Our party and the country’s political life are poorer without him.
As summer draws to an end, perhaps it’s time for an initial assessment. Our country was again tested by major fires, as was the entire European south. In fact, on the Iberian Peninsula, 6.8 million acres have burned so far, 4 million in Spain and 2.8 million in Portugal. That’s why we responded to the emergency request of the European civil protection mechanism by providing 20 specially trained Greek forest commandos to Spain and 2 Canadair aircraft to Portugal. The climate crisis is shaping a harsh new reality. Fire service data shows it handles 40 fires daily, while last week this number exceeded 70 per day. The vast majority were brought under control within a few hours. The dispersion across Greek territory was large, and there were cases, most notably in Achaia, where 4-5 different fronts erupted simultaneously or one after another in the wider area, resulting in the dispersion of fire services and volunteer teams to address them. I consider it irresponsible and dangerous for partisan reasons to question the life-saving emergency alert and evacuation system, 112. Human life is the supreme good. This doesn’t mean we won’t support those affected: we’ve already announced housing assistance for individuals and legal entities for repair or reconstruction of buildings, rent subsidies or cohabitation up to €500 for temporary housing of permanent residents, economic support of €600 per household to cover basic needs, with increases for large families and people with disabilities, while up to €6,000 will be given for replacement or repair of household goods in the main residence. For affected areas declared in a state of emergency, a three-year exemption from property tax is provided, while emergency funding is available for Local Government Organizations to cover immediate needs and restore damage to networks and infrastructure.
Regarding state mechanism capabilities, let me remind those who dismiss what has been done in recent years that this year more than 18,000 firefighters are operating, the third highest number proportionally to inhabitants among European Union countries. The Fire Service’s ground fleet numbers over 3,680 vehicles, up from 3,410 in 2022, and aerial means are 82, up from 61 in 2019. Over €600 million has been allocated for the first time in history for prevention works, firebreaks, and fuel clearing in critical forests of our homeland through Antinero, 700,000 plot cleaning declarations were made, 82 drones monitor for forest fires. Additionally, the impunity regime for arsonists who ignore the destruction and chaos their actions cause has ended. Already in 2025 alone, more than 300 arrests have been made for arson. Penalties for forest arson are served, not converted or suspended pending appeal. Closing this topic, we owe great thanks to the firefighters, volunteers, police, citizens, and local government for the battle they fought.
Changing topics, I come to the evaluation of health services by citizens themselves, for the first time. As I told you during the week, 15,586 SMS messages with questions were sent to patients hospitalized in 92 hospitals and 447 clinics. The 30% who responded give us encouraging results: 93% found the doctor they needed, 88% speak of courtesy and respect from medical and nursing staff, while 75% declare themselves overall satisfied. Even in emergencies, 42% were served in less than an hour. The health system is changing: hospitals are being renovated, staff hired, salaries improved, we have for the first time an organized prevention system, Mobile Health Teams operate, as well as afternoon surgeries. We’re not celebrating. We listen to citizens, see problems, and address them.
From the critical field of health, I come to public education. The new school year begins with 8,823 teacher appointments to vacant permanent positions in primary schools, middle schools, and high schools, added to the 38,500 permanent teacher hires made from 2019 to today. More than half (5,627) will staff General Education schools, the rest Special Education schools and Music Schools. I want to focus particularly on students with disabilities and their right to equal access to education. This year 8 new Special Education and Training School Units will operate in primary and secondary education, while 2 additional sectors and 6 specialties are established in Unified Special Vocational Schools. Special schools have specialized staff and supportive structures so every child can have the education they deserve in an environment that respects and meets their special needs.
Regarding Music Schools, for the first time in 17 years, they will acquire new and modern equipment. With a budget of €10 million from the National Development Program, all necessary musical instruments, traditional and modern, as well as accompanying equipment will be purchased to upgrade daily life for students in all the country’s Music Schools.
From the new academic year, new, stricter provisions will be implemented to strengthen the sense of security in Higher Education Institutions and protect academic freedom. Indicatively, I mention that 10-year imprisonment is provided for organized violent acts within universities, student status will be suspended or revoked for lawbreakers, perpetrators will pay for damages, while digital control will be implemented for those entering university premises. Disciplinary councils of universities will also function more effectively and quickly and will be monitored to ensure they perform their role correctly. The new year will therefore start with more teachers, better infrastructure, and safer universities. With planning and consistency, we invest in public education, the strongest foundation for our children’s future and our country’s future.
I now turn to a series of important infrastructure projects. First, the new section of the Vonitsa-Lefkada road axis opened to traffic, bypassing the Agios Nikolaos settlement. A necessary project for Western Greece that will reduce travel time and enhance road safety, especially during summer months with increased traffic load.
Two major irrigation projects in Karditsa (TOEV Tavropou modernization) and Farsala (Hypereia-Orfana) were also signed and begin, with a total budget exceeding €200 million. It’s estimated that a significant part of the networks will be completed within 12-14 months, irrigating approximately 200,000 acres in the Thessalian plain.
Simultaneously, we put the social housing exchange bill up for consultation, to be discussed and voted on when Parliament resumes. With the innovations introduced, we aim for social housing exchange to become an important tool in the “battle” against the housing crisis. How will it work? Public land will be granted to private contractors for housing construction, with the obligation that at least 30% be provided as social or affordable housing with low rent to vulnerable and economically weaker households. Thus, we utilize public property, increase social housing stock, offer shelter to citizens in need, while the state maintains control, private parties invest, and citizens benefit. A policy that doesn’t burden the state budget and leaves a strong social footprint.
In the economic review, according to the Ministry of Finance, the primary surplus for January-July is higher than our target by €1.2 billion. Our principle is that surpluses should be returned to citizens, every available fiscal space will be utilized for society’s benefit. Some more good economic news: Our country’s current account balance, meaning the total goods and services we import and export, improved in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, reduced overall by 8.3%, while the deficit in the trade balance of goods decreased by 2.4%. Without petroleum products, exports of Greek products increased by 4.3%, as did tourist receipts from visitors to our country, up by 11%. Very significant is the good performance of foreign direct investment, which in the first half increased by €800 million compared to last year. All this shows an economy that steadily improves and generates benefits that return to society.
Let me address migration, which had intensely occupied our country recently. Data shows that the emergency measures we took and diplomatic moves we made are paying off. In the first week of July, before the relevant amendment, 2,642 migrants had entered within 7 days. In the 25 days since implementing measures – non-examination of asylum, detention of new arrivals, and their return – arrivals were limited to a total of 923, while in August they didn’t exceed 400. The message was clear and worked.
I’ll close today’s review with projects and actions highlighting our cultural heritage. Starting from Lemnos, where the fully restored Archaeological Museum of Lemnos was delivered to residents and visitors. The neoclassical building damaged by the 2014 earthquake was fully restored, and now nothing recalls the old wounds. With modern and secure infrastructure, it houses the island’s history from prehistory to Byzantium. The project was implemented by the Lesvos Antiquities Authority, funded with €3 million from the “North Aegean 2014-2020” Regional Operational Program.
In Attica, 21 major projects are planned in Elefsina, Athens, and Lavrio through the Integrated Spatial Investment signed by the Culture Minister and Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias. With a €40 million budget from European resources of the Attica Region, interventions will be made to highlight and upgrade cultural landmarks in three of the most important centers of religious, political, and economic life in the basin.
Indicatively, I mention the reopening with new uses of the Old Acropolis Museum, the highlighting of the archaeological site of Aristotle’s Lyceum through digital actions, as well as interventions at the archaeological sites of Elefsina and Ramnous, at the Holy Monastery of Dafni, at the church of Agios Georgios in Eleonas Megaron.
Thus ends the first post-summer review. See you again next Sunday. Good morning!
