Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis issued a warning to energy companies, stressing that if the sharp drop in wholesale electricity prices in August is not reflected in retail prices in September, the government will step in to protect consumers. The remark was made in his weekly post reviewing government activity.
Mitsotakis reminded that the government has taken similar action repeatedly in past years and underlined that "the green energy transition must primarily serve the interests of the many, so that everyone ultimately benefits — not just a few at the expense of the majority."
The premier said that "this year, the systematic work of recent years on the country’s energy transition and the shift of the domestic energy market toward cleaner and cheaper electricity has begun to show results. Greece now ranks among the leading countries worldwide in the use of renewable energy sources, a trajectory that will continue in the coming years. This means that our country is gradually achieving energy self-sufficiency and autonomy, moving from being a net importer to a net exporter of energy. Thanks to new renewables — sun and wind — but also to our interventions at the European level to correct flaws in the single energy market, wholesale prices dropped sharply this August. Compared with last summer, wholesale prices fell by 29%, while the gap between our region and Central Europe narrowed significantly, with Greece recording lower wholesale prices in August than Germany, Austria, and Denmark.
This drop must also be reflected in retail bills. It is therefore reasonable to expect that this decline will be passed on to retail prices next month — to the benefit of the end consumer. If this does not happen, we will intervene in favour of consumers, as we have repeatedly done in previous years.
The green energy transition must primarily serve the interests of the many, so that in the end everyone benefits from it — not just a few at the expense of the majority.
On the labour reform bill currently under public consultation, the Prime Minister responded to opposition criticism, clarifying that "the eight-hour workday is not being abolished, nor is a compulsory 13-hour daily shift being introduced year-round, as the opposition claims. On the contrary, we are protecting and strengthening lawful overtime for employees who choose it in order to increase their income."
Regarding Thessaloniki, he said that the city is preparing for the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF). For the first time, visitors will be able to reach the exhibition by metro — a project that in just ten months of operation has already transformed urban life: 15,000 fewer cars in the city centre and an estimated 4 million euros in savings, directly or indirectly, for drivers, according to a study by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. On Thursday, trial runs will begin on the line to Kalamaria, with the goal of opening this section in the first quarter of 2026.
Concluding, the prime minister said that there will be no review next Sunday due to Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF).