In a recent televised interview on Star television network, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed the critical importance of the upcoming European elections for Greece, the nation’s relations with Turkey, and its policy towards the Middle East, advocating for a two-state solution.
Mr. Mitsotakis expressed concerns about recent events in Rafah, describing them as exceeding acceptable limits.
He also addressed the issue of rising living costs, emphasising the government’s actions to provide relief to citizens through wage and pension increases.
“The European elections will significantly shape Europe’s trajectory for the next five years,” mr. Mitsotakis said. “Europe’s relevance to us extends beyond the funds we can secure for our country, especially since 2024 presents more challenges than 2019. Matters such as joint border control are of direct concern to our nation,” he said.
He highlighted the risk of voter abstention, particularly when European elections are not held simultaneously with national or local elections. The Prime Minister underscored that Greece’s influence in Brussels has been considerably bolstered.
On the economic front, Mr. Mitsotakis criticised multinational corporations for their pricing strategies within the EU, stating that it was “unacceptable for large multinationals to sell the same product at significantly different prices, using regulatory loopholes to conceal commercial tactics. It’s surprising that such an initiative does not receive unanimous support from the political system.”
Regarding the economy, particularly the issue of high costs, Mr. Mitsotakis praised the economy’s growth, saying it was moving “at twice the rate, but this doesn’t negate the problem of high costs.
“We have raised wages and pensions,” he said, “yet this often fails to offset the increases. Food inflation is slightly above the European average but is showing signs of easing. We are committed to reducing high costs, but there are no magical solutions, especially not ones that cost billions of euros.”
Commenting on Syriza’s economic proposals, the Prime Minister warned against the return to the turmoil of 2012 and 2015, when some capitalised on societal anger, promised non-existent funds, and pushed us to the brink of bankruptcy. Our responsibility is to ensure price transparency in supermarkets and inform consumers about product packaging changes.
“We must empower consumers further,” he said, reiterating the government’s goal to raise the minimum wage to 950 euros and the average wage to 1,500 euros by the end of the term.
He also noted the government’s success in reducing unemployment from 17% to under 10%.
“We have created over 400,000 jobs. The decrease in unemployment enhances the worker’s bargaining power,” Mitsotakis concluded.
The Prime Minister also criticized the opposition’s approach, stating, “Distributing non-existent funds is not a solution. We must avoid past mistakes, which may be repackaged but still carry the same demagoguery.”