Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has ruled out “easy promises” regarding agricultural subsidies, setting a firm boundary ahead of high-stakes talks with protesting farmers who have disrupted national highways for weeks.
In his weekly review, Mr. Mitsotakis stressed that while he is open to dialogue, he will not countenance measures that threaten Greece’s fiscal stability.
“The government chooses dialogue… but without moves that would undermine the overall effort to stabilize the economy,” Mr. Mitsotakis said.
The administration has already offered concessions, including tax-free diesel and discounted electricity.
However, the prime minister warned that budget constraints and EU rules limit further spending. He indicated that separate talks with livestock breeders, currently battling sheep pox outbreaks, would follow.
Mr. Mitsotakis used the address to contrast the sector's unrest with broader economic successes, citing a recent bond issue that raised 4 billion euros at favorable rates and data showing Greece led the OECD in employment growth.
He also noted the induction of the Kimon, the navy’s first French-built Belharra-class frigate, and a newly ratified 308 million euro investment for 23 new trains as evidence of institutional progress that must be safeguarded from fiscal slippage.