Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pointed to a dramatic rise in declared overtime hours in the tourism sector following the implementation of the digital work card, calling the figures “impressive” and a sign that “something is changing.”
In a video post on TikTok, Mitsotakis revealed that declared overtime in the tourism industry rose by 1,000% in May alone. The data, he said, reflects a tenfold increase in legally recorded and compensated overtime hours, all of which are subject to regular employer contributions.
“These are legal overtime hours, properly declared and paid, with employer contributions being made. Clearly, something is changing here,” Mitsotakis said.
The digital work card—an initiative aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in the Greek labor market—enables real-time tracking of working hours and overtime. It is seen by the government as a step toward tackling undeclared labor, particularly in high-employment seasonal sectors like tourism.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the system is producing tangible results. “The figures from the implementation of the work card in May are truly impressive,” he noted. “Only in the tourism sector, declared overtime increased by 1,000%. That’s ten times more. I repeat, ten times.”
While the post was targeted at a Greek-speaking audience, the broader message reflects a central theme in Mitsotakis’ labor policy: modernization, formalization, and digital transformation of employment monitoring.
The announcement comes as the Greek tourism industry continues to recover and expand in the post-pandemic period, with increased demand for labor and extended working hours during the high season.
Source: tovima.com
