Economies and societies progress only through peace and stability, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday, in an address from Tripolis, in the Peloponnese.
In an address that followed the presentation of a development plan for the Peloponnese budgeted at over 5 billion euros ('Peloponnese 2030'), Mitsotakis said that under his government Greek citizens have been relieved of dozens of taxes, while they would see a raise in the minimum wage for the third time (as of May 1, 2023), the abolishment of a solidarity tax, and a raise of nearly 8% in the pensions of 2.5 million retirees in 2023 as well. He also mentioned a special Christmas bonus of 250 euros for 2.3 million Greeks by December 20, and wage raises for National Health System (NHS) doctors, among others. In December alone, the state budget will distribute over 800 million euros, besides the subsidies of electricity bills, he said.
A year ago, Greece was in the grip of the pandemic, while today Greece has turned the page with more jobs, a jump in exports, and more money in state coffers compared to 2019, the premier said. He acknowledged the issues of low wages and high living expenses, and the anxiety businesses have over energy costs, but he noted also that there were a lot of achievements, with Greece and Greeks having a dynamic for more progress. Above all, the government's duty is to support the most vulnerable, and not to forget the middle class, the PM said.
Among the changes, Mitsotakis also mentioned the civil sector services offered online through the gov.gr platform, which has registered over 1 billion online transactions, and the quiet changes in education, including the first hiring of permanent teachers after 12 years. Several more problems are resolved, among them the metro in Thessaloniki that is near completion, while Hellinikon project on the coast of Athens is one of the greatest urban makeover projects in Europe.
The PM said that the government "can look citizens in the eyes and say we have done what we promised" during campaign elections. Doctors, for example, will not only get retroactive raises, but will get a raise in their bonuses as of January 2023, also allowing full-time doctors in the NHS to keep private offices as well, something that will ensure they do not leave the public sector.
Criticizing main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras for trying to poison the political climate, Mitsotakis said Tsipras is the one who calls for respect for the Armed Forces while striking down armaments expenditures and large contracts. The main opposition opposes anything the government proposes, placing party politics above everything, the premier added.
The choices on election day are between two parties and two leaders, and there is no time for loose votes, as the first round of elections will determine who will govern the country, Mitsotakis said. New Democracy has achieved a lot but still needs to do more, and the country does not have the luxury of experiments or political instability, especially in a globally unstable environment.