In his Sunday Facebook post, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the beginning of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) delimitation process between Greece and Libya, emphasizing the strategic importance of the agreement. He also announced the Greek government’s decision to proceed with acquiring a fourth Belharra frigate, strengthening the country’s defense capabilities.
The Prime Minister also spoke about government initiatives in Labor, Insurance, Education and Health sectors, focusing on measures aimed at improving public services. Additionally, he referred to the establishment of a new and strict framework of controls for subsidies in investment projects, aiming to ensure effectiveness and transparency.
The Prime Minister’s full post:
“Good day to you. Another week has passed with significant initiatives. I will begin today’s review with two important developments concerning the exercise of the country’s sovereign rights and the strengthening of our defense armor amid the unpredictable geopolitical turbulence we are experiencing. I refer first to the beginning of the process for delimiting the Exclusive Economic Zone between Greece and Libya. The first meeting of the technical committees has already taken place here in Athens and the next meeting will be held in Tripoli. We still have a long way to go until reaching an agreement, however this is a positive development for Greece in relation to our neighboring country. The path toward broader regional stability passes through agreements between genuinely neighboring countries, based on International Law, and not through arbitrary and unfounded memoranda. The launch of the delimitation process with Libya comes just 24 hours after the formalization of American Chevron’s participation in the international tender for the 4 offshore blocks south of Crete and the Peloponnese and the clear recognition by the US of Greece’s energy and geopolitical significance in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The second development concerns the purchase of the 4th ultra-modern Belharra frigate. The relevant bill from the Ministry of National Defense has already been submitted to Parliament. The new frigate ‘Themistocles’, together with ‘Kimon’ – which barring unforeseen circumstances we will receive around the end of 2025 – ‘Nearchos’ and ‘Phormion’, will dramatically upgrade the operational capabilities of our Navy. I will repeat this for those in the opposition who react to the country’s defense armor with false dilemmas: defense is also a pillar of prosperity. Without security, there are no conditions for economic development or for forging social cohesion. And correspondingly, only with resilient public finances and fiscal robustness can we have effective national armor.
Let’s move now to three good news items from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. The labor market continues to deliver positive results and the data shows that our strategy is working. Six months ago we enacted a law abolishing surcharges on social security contributions for overtime, holidays and night work. Results: during the first four months of implementation, earnings from overtime and overwork increased by 48% and contribution revenues by 34% compared to the corresponding four-month period of 2024. For the same period, earnings from night work and holidays increased by 31% and corresponding contribution revenues show an increase of 43%. This proves how a consistent policy of reducing contributions improves compliance with legality, increasing both business compliance and workers’ incomes. Win-win for everyone.
The second good news is that last Friday and Saturday, the 45th ‘Career Days’ event of the Public Employment Service was held in Thessaloniki with great success. The response exceeded all previous records: over 6,000 job candidates participated, who had the opportunity to speak with 100 companies seeking human resources.
Finally, during the past week e-EFKA took another step in its digital transformation, launching the DASHBOARD-myEFKA and the myEFKAmobile application. For the first time, every insured person has concentrated on one screen the complete picture of their insurance history, while they also have the ability, with just a few clicks, to update their information, issue certificates and monitor applications, benefits or payments. We have taken many steps forward in digital government. And every time a new tool is added, a little hassle is removed from daily life. So we continue.
But progress is not only visible in indicators and applications. It is mainly visible in citizens’ daily lives, especially the most vulnerable. A program that makes a real difference and of which we are proud as a government is the free home delivery of high-cost medicines, which began from EOPYY in mid-June. We estimate that about 10,000 home deliveries are made each month, while so far more than 83,000 pharmaceutical deliveries have been made in total, including shipments to regional facilities. As Yannis, one of the program’s beneficiaries whom I met recently, told me, it is substantial help in his daily life. Currently, patients with chronic conditions and mobility difficulties are being served. Soon the program will be expanded so that these medicines can also be delivered from the neighborhood pharmacy. We didn’t discover America. It’s one of those acts I usually call ‘revolutionary obvious’. Those beneficiaries interested in trying this new service can visit the platform https://fyk.eopyy.gov.gr or call 18181.
The same applies to the next action, the Mobile Health Teams, with which we provide solutions to needs that until yesterday remained unanswered. The KOMU started last February from Ormenio, the country’s northernmost village, offering home health services even to the most remote communities. Our goal is clear: every citizen, wherever they live, should have access to prevention and quality care. Just in recent days, the teams visited villages in Xanthi, Rodopi and Evros, conducting more than 180 preventive examinations and over 30 home visits to elderly people and those with mobility difficulties. With the help of telemedicine, doctors can monitor patients and make diagnoses from a distance, without requiring the hassle of travel. KOMU actions will continue in the coming weeks in 83 mountain villages of Thrace and from October will extend throughout the country. Thus, the NHS does not wait for the citizen. It reaches the citizen, wherever they are. We are building a health system that reduces inequalities and supports with respect those in need, as the Deputy Health Minister correctly said.
As the school year has begun – and very soon the academic year too – let’s go to the field of education. For the first time, transfers of first-year University students will be completed by the first ten days of October, almost a month and a half earlier than other academic years. Access codes to the competent university services for application submission will have been given by September 22. Thus, families will be able to plan better, avoiding unnecessary moving or rental expenses, while students will also have time to adapt without hassle to their new environment. At the same time, the Universities themselves will be able to better organize their educational program from the beginning of the semester. It’s a change that shows in practice that care for young people and their families doesn’t remain in words.
We equally support vocational education, not only with upgraded studies, but also with paid learning in the workplace, either in the public or private sector. Graduates of Vocational, Model and Special Vocational High Schools now have the opportunity to attend a post-secondary year in an Apprenticeship class, cultivating their qualifications and receiving 95% of the legal, legislated, lower limit of the daily wage of an unskilled worker, regardless of age. They are entitled to 12 days of regular leave, have full insurance that counts toward pension and, upon completion of the program and successful certification, upgrade their degree to level 5. Applications are made until 23/9 on the platform e-mathiteia.minedu.gov.gr. Indeed, this year the most positions ever have been secured, almost 14,000, of which 7 out of 10 are in the private sector. The upgrade of technical and vocational education was one of our central commitments and my personal vision: to stop being considered the ‘poor relative’ of Higher Education and to emerge as a strong professional path that opens prospects for a stable and well-paid career.
In the effort to make education accessible to everyone, an important initiative became reality: the operation of the first Vocational High School in Larissa prison. For the first time, adult prisoners are given the opportunity to follow a regular study program and acquire specialization with recognized certification, as equipment for their return to society. Until today, the Second Chance School that existed there was limited to fragmentary or distance solutions, without teachers, without classrooms, without infrastructure, without qualification recognition. Now, 22 people are already starting classes in the first grade of EPAL. We made real our obvious obligation to provide the right to education and training to every citizen wherever they are. The 8th EPAL of Larissa is just the beginning.
Changing fields now, the premiere of 24-hour operation of Athens urban transport last Saturday showed that the measure found response, with more than 55,000 ticket validations in STASY and OSY. To make the additional 55 Metro routes and 30 tram routes a reality, 287 staff members worked – a total of 339 employees contributed to implementing the new service, and we thank them. We will see of course how yesterday went too – the second Saturday in sequence – always with priority on passenger safety. It’s also worth noting that throughout the night, beyond the regular presence of the Hellenic Police, 18 specialized police officers were added, who conduct targeted patrols in stations, trains and routes.
Another important initiative is the operation of the new digital platform report.oasa.gr. Through this, every passenger can easily report problems they encounter in Athens urban transport – from delays to cleanliness issues. The important thing is that reports are no longer lost, but receive responses within a few days.
And since we’re talking about safe transportation, let me remind you that the new Road Traffic Code is now in effect, with stricter provisions for dealing with traffic violators, especially when there is recurrence. The penalty in these cases increases significantly, not only financially but also administratively, from license removal to criminal prosecutions, depending on the severity and consequences. The bloodshed on the roads cannot continue. Unfortunately, many continue to ignore the danger, both for themselves and for others. Just last week 2,600 tickets were issued for not wearing helmets. I appeal for responsible driving behavior. It saves lives.
I’m completely changing subject and coming to investments, which we support by improving the business environment and promoting healthy entrepreneurship. But, and I emphasize this, with respect for Greek taxpayers’ money. For this reason we are establishing a new, strict framework of controls for subsidies in investment projects. By decision of the Development Minister, companies covered by these programs must annually submit to the competent services evidence documenting that they complied with their obligations, as well as the approval act of their inclusion. Additionally, an annual sample audit is established for 10% to 20% of companies that have been included in the development laws of 2004, 2011, 2016 and 2022, to check the legality of their operation, their financial condition, the jobs they maintain and the progress of investments for which they received subsidies. In case of violations, large fines will be imposed, even recovery of the subsidy. In this way we armor the state aid system and ensure that public resources are properly utilized, for the benefit of the real economy.
With this news the week’s review closes. We’ll talk next Sunday, with news both from home and abroad, as I will be in New York for the UN General Assembly. Have a good day!”
