Under the theme “The Mitsotakis Seven-Year Term—Seven Years of Lies, Missed Opportunities, and Corruption,” senior officials of the Greek Left Coalition (ELAS)—Fragiskos Koutentakis (Finance), Dionysis Temboneras (Labor), and Theoni Koufonikolakou (press spokesperson)—held their first press conference as a party.
Of particular interest are the statistics and comparisons on which their negative assessment of the government’s term in office was based.
According to these figures:
ECONOMY
- The country owes more today than it did in 2019. Half of the so-called “investment boom” consists of home purchases, military equipment, and European funds—not factories or technology.
- 2 million people (19.5% of the population) live below the poverty line.
- Taxes: VAT revenue in 2025: +8.1 billion (1.2 GDP units) compared to 2019
- Income and property tax revenue: +10.6 billion (2 GDP points) compared to 2019
EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL SECURITY
- We work the longest hours in Europe—based on 2019 purchasing power.
- Average full-time wage increase 2019–24: 12.4%.
- Price increase 2019–24: 16.4%. Decrease in purchasing power: 4%
- 2019: Average wage in Greece is 48.7% of the EU average, 83% higher than in Bulgaria. 2024: 45% of the EU average, 17% higher than in Bulgaria
- Workweek of 39.6 hours, while the EU average is 35.9. A 6-day workweek and 13-hour workday were legislated
- Pensioners: 16.4% increases with 19.8% inflation
PRIVATE DEBT & FORECLOSURES
The loans didn’t disappear—they were transferred from the banks to funds and servicers, backed by a government guarantee, no less. Citizens still owe them, just to a tougher creditor. And because protection for primary residences has been abolished, the bill now comes in the form of a foreclosure.
- Total non-performing loans: 82.6 billion — 5.7 billion held by banks, 76.9 billion held by servicers
- Total private debt increased: 367 → 407.6 billion. Debts to EFKA/KEEO increased: +46% (35.4 → 51.8 billion)
- Foreclosures increased: 29,100 → 67,309 (+131%). Cumulative total for 2020–2026: 300,000. Moratoriums for vulnerable individuals: 560
HOUSING — The Most Expensive in Europe
- 35.5% of income goes toward housing, compared to the EU average of 19.2%.
- For poor households, this percentage soars to 62.8%, compared to the European average of 36.9%
HEALTH
- The percentage of citizens who cannot afford necessary medical tests is projected to rise from 7.5% in 2019 to 8.8% in 2025
- Public health spending has remained stagnant at 5.7% from 2019 to the present
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
- Electricity prices have risen by 50.6% compared to 2019, making us the 4th most expensive country. Net energy costs: 11% higher than the EU average, while in terms of purchasing power, they are 40% higher
- Energy poverty: 19.0% — 1st in the EU (average 9.2%).
INSTITUTIONS & PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
- In terms of press freedom, Greece ranks 86th globally — last in the EU
- Rule of Law (World Justice Project): 29th out of 31 countries (EU/EFTA/North America)
- Corruption (Transparency International): 21st in the EU, 56th globally
- Trust in government (OECD): 24%
- Quality of Democracy: European Parliament resolution (February 7, 2024) that “expresses serious concerns about threats to democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights” in Greece.
JUSTICE — Slower for citizens, “faster” on paper
- The government claims: “Decisions in 386 days, 99% of cases resolved.”
- The European Justice Scoreboard reports 740 days—worse even than in 2019.
DEFENSE — Same project, 3.36 times more expensive
For the exact same upgrade of 38 F-16 Block 50s, the country had agreed on a cost in 2017; in 2026, they signed a contract for the same project at more than triple the price—for aircraft that arrived in 1997 and will be delivered upgraded in 2033–34.
CULTURE
Only 1.6% of the money from the Recovery Fund for artists has been utilized. In other words, 470,000 thousand were utilized, and 27.5 million euros remained unused.