Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis launched his review of the past week posted on social media every Sunday by referring to the good news as regards the economy in the European Commission's spring forecasts and from Eurostat, while stressing that the government will continue to battle for the significant improvement of Greek incomes and was neither "celebrating nor complacent".
“I start with the Commission’s spring forecasts for the course of the Greek economy, which confirm that the Greek economy maintains its momentum. Growth is forecast at 2.3% for 2025 and 2.2% for 2026, rates significantly above the Eurozone average, which is expected to move at 0.9% and 1.4% respectively. The Commission estimates that our debt will continue to decline rapidly in the coming years, benefiting younger generations, there will be a further reduction in unemployment and we will achieve high primary surpluses, despite the reduction in taxes and contributions. How? As a result of the reduction in tax evasion and the increase in incomes.
"The significant improvement in incomes since 2019 is also certified by Eurostat, specifically calculating that the net annual income of Greeks increased by 24% in the last six years, which puts us in 16th place among the 27 member states of the European Union. Are we satisfied? No, because our goal is for Greek incomes to further converge with European ones. Of course, inflation remains a challenge, although it has subsided. That is why we are neither celebrating nor complacent. It is a battle that we will not stop fighting, despite the uncertainties in the international economic environment and internal pathologies, such as socially unjust tax evasion.
"When the state sets rules and abides by them - as it is responsible for, after all - society responds. A resounding example is the timely submission of tax returns. On May 21, the submitted tax returns of individuals "broke the barrier" of 4 million. The record number is due to the work of the AADE in the field of digital transformation, and to the significant contribution of tax professionals who deserve congratulations, but also to the incentives we gave for timely submission of returns. Both the state and citizens can thus do their financial planning in a timely and more effective manner. The earlier those liable responded, the greater the “reward” they will have, either by receiving a tax refund faster, if they are entitled to it, or by having a greater discount on the amount they will have to pay. So, everyone wins.”
The prime minister then moved on to healthcare and the telephone number “1566”, which will be operational in a month and a half and will provide information about the National Health Service, appointments, prescriptions and everything that is not medical advice. "It is another tool that comes to strengthen the existing ones, such as, for example, the innovative - even for European standards - MyHealth app, which from tomorrow Monday is now being extended to all doctors so that they can have a better picture of each patient’s history, thus helping them to make more complete diagnoses," he said.
Mitsotakis announced that the digital disability card, with approximately 400,000 beneficiaries, will become available in plastic form by the end of the current year and also give access to the special support line 210 300 7606, where card holders can seek help with technical or procedural issues.
The prime minister then turned to the issue of occupations of university premises, stressing that this had a costly and deleterious impact, citing the example of the building on 6 Lagoumitzi Street owned by Panteion University, which he said had languished in disrepair since the 1999 earthquake due to an occupation, preventing the university for using it as student accommodation creating additional costs in order to provide housing for the students that were entitled to is. "And why am I saying all this? Because finally, after two and a half decades with all kinds of obstacles and problems, the contract for the radical reconstruction of the building was signed a few days ago. By 2027, in place of the squat - and the abandonment - a modern student dormitory with 95 rooms, with a capacity of up to 170 beds, with double and single rooms, will operate," he said.
The prime minister also commented on the great interest shown in the institution of model schools, model seminaries and Onassis Public Schools, with 12,595 applying, while 11,127 competed for the 3,420 available places throughout Greece.
"Strengthening and increasing the number of Model Schools is a central project of the New Democracy government programme. The great interest of parents indicates that we must move even faster. We believe in equal opportunities and we want to give children from socially or economically disadvantaged areas the opportunity to have access to the best possible education. And we are doing it,” he added.
Mitsotakis next referred to the actions by the Public Employment Service (DYPA) in providing free preschool care for infants and toddlers between six months and four years old, with 28 daycare centres throughout the country, and actions such as Career Day for boosting employment, as well as actions held in cities abroad in an attempt to reverse the brain drain and bring back expatriates.
Other topics touched upon during the premier's message included the faster processing of cases by the National Cadastre, with turnaround times reduced to days as opposed to months, as well as the clearing of a similar case backlog at the Athens Court of First Instance, as well as making other improvements in the rule of law based on recommendations by the European Commission, closing two out of a total six.
"In view of the 2025 annual report, we have delivered an initial 140-page text and have answered questions with another 100 pages on what we have done and the 14 initiatives we launched to satisfy the other 4 recommendations concerning the acceleration of the administration of justice, the fight against corruption, freedom of the press and the establishment of institutional checks and balances for the better functioning of the institutions. The work continues with a plan and seriousness. The recovery of the investment grade also confirms the confidence of foreign institutional investors in the improvement of the functioning of the institutions in our country," he said.
Mitsotakis also referred to the start of sea trials of the first of Greece's Belharra frigates "Kimon" in Lorient, Brittany and concluded with the dialogue launched with local communities on the National Strategy for Regional and Local Development and the plans presented in Lasithi, Xanthi, Kavala and Chios. He also mentioned the success of two Greek teams in reaching the Euroleague Final Four, even though neither made it through the the final.