Addressing the Partido Popular party conference in Valencia, Spain on Sunday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis underlined his determination to press ahead with the reformist agenda that he presented to voters before the 2019 elections, undismayed by the pandemic, migration issue and the serious challenges from Turkey in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
According to the Greek prime minister, his pre-election proposals for “real change” granted the New Democracy party and himself a clearcut victory and dominance of the political spectrum spanning the right to the progressive centre, while allowing him to defeat “the populists of the far Left”. He expressed confidence that the same victory can be won by Partido Popular and its leader Pablo Casado in Spain’s upcoming elections.
“We stuck to our commitments. We lowered taxes for every Greek, we cut bureaucracy, created a digital state, modernised our party so that New Democracy now occupies the entire space between the right and the progressive centre,” he said.
“We won the elections because we offered, not just to our supporters but all the Greek people, a new vision of renewal in which they could believe,” Mitsotakis said, and the Greek people had rewarded his party with an absolute majority in parliament so that it could implement its program.
“I am here to convey the message that this is possible. The populists of the far Left, the equivalent to your Podemos, were defeated in the recent elections by the progressive centre-right party. When you take over power, I am certain that you will have the same vision as us. A vision not only for a progressive Spain but a vision for a progressive Europe,” he added.
According to the Greek premier, this meant a Europe that defended its borders and made defence central in its policies, ensuring that the Recovery and Resilience Fund resources were used to improve the lives of all Europeans and to reduce income inequality, “thus ensuring that we can all look toward a common future.”
Mitsotakis called for a decrease in taxes and an increase in investments and reforms that create the right conditions for entrepreneurship, employment, growth and higher productivity.
“This means exactly what we did in Greece: lowering taxes, labour market reforms, developing green technology and using smart technology and digital innovation in order to obtain the best possible result for the citizens.”
In his own speech, Casado said that Mitsotakis and ruling New Democracy were an example for how to manage major challenges, such as the pandemic, praising the Greek prime minister’s steadfast resistance of populism, while pledged to support the protection of Greek borders if his party comes into power:
“I will say this clearly: the future Spanish government of Partido Popular will fully support the protection of the Greek borders and of your national interests in the Mediterranean against threats from other neighbouring countries. We are at Greece’s side as an EU country, above and beyond any other interests,” he said.
Latest News
ELSTAT: Greek Health Expenditures Reach €5.89 Billion in 2022
Finally, healthcare financing as a percentage of GDP decreased to 8.5% in 2022 from 9.18% in 2021, as per the Health Accounts System report.
Sonoco Paper Mill Plants Close After 30 Years in Greece
The shut down of the two paper mills in northern Greece comes a week after a glass plant closed in Athens
BoG: Private Deposits Down by 1.068bln Euros in Feb. 2024
Corporate deposits decreased by 912 million euros, compared to a decrease of 3.167 billion euros in the previous month
Greeks’ Buying Power Second Lowest in the EU
Greeks’ purchasing power is under pressure, ranking 26th among 27 EU member states.
Greek FinMin Says Digital Work Card Tackling Undeclared Work
Greece's recently launched digital work card aimed at tackling undeclared labor has already started to produce results, said Economy and Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis
MSC Cruises: More than 400 Visits to Nine Greek Destinations
MSC Cruises, a subsidiary of international shipping line Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A, will be sailing to Greek ports as of this month, expanding operations in the region year-round
Eurostat: Greece Among Cheaper Hourly Labor Cost Zones
In contrast, the countries that posted the highest hourly labor costs are Luxembourg (53.9 euros), Norway (51.9 euros), Iceland
GSEVEE: Economic Sentiment Indicator in Greece Down in Q2 2023
The drop follows a significant uptick in the ESI in the second half of 2022 (69.5 units) and a slight decline in the first half of 2023 (66.7 units)
Manpower Report: Sectors in Greece that Have Achieved Full Gender Equality in the Workplace
Greece surpasses this with 45%, showcasing progress but also room for improvement. Sectors like Consumer Goods and Services lead with 69% reporting full equality globally
Bank of America (BofA): Three Reasons Greek Economy Outperforms EC Average
BofA projects growth of 1.1% in 2024 and 1.7% in 2025, compared to forecasts for eurozone growth at 0.4%/1.1%, respectively