Kyriakos Mitsotakis unveiled a new format for his weekly review, opting for a shorter presentation of government initiatives. The focus was on energy support for industry, repairs in Crete, defence investment and economic forecasts for 2027.
Greece and the US: Energy and defence in focus
The prime minister began by referring to the visit to Athens by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the sixth round of the Greece-US Strategic Dialogue, underlining the importance of bilateral cooperation in defence, energy, shipping, investment and technology.
He made particular reference to the Vertical Gas Corridor and the prospect of strengthening Greece’s role as an energy transit hub for Europe, as well as the upgrade of F-16s to Viper standard and the integration of F-35s into the Hellenic Air Force.
Energy support and recovery in Crete
On energy, Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced immediate electricity subsidies for energy-intensive industry, with an estimated €95 million in relief for Greek production.
On Crete, following extreme weather, he said state support would cover 100% of damage to affected homes and 70% of business equipment. Tax, social security and banking relief measures are also planned, while €97.8 million is being allocated to municipalities and regions for repairs and infrastructure improvements.
The prime minister also outlined the new e112 system, which, according to the post, will enable people to contact the authorities by text or video and will feature a silent alert button and access for people with hearing or speech impairments.
Measures for fisheries, education and healthcare
Support for the primary sector includes doubling the subsidy for fishing fuel from April to August, to as much as 32 cents per litre.
On education, the prime minister referred to the launch of an English-language undergraduate medical programme at the University of Patras, which received 168 applications from 23 countries.
The renovation of the Cardiology Department at Kalymnos Hospital has also been completed, while funding was announced for housing for doctors and teachers, student residences and hospitals in Thessaly.
Major investments and energy measures
Hellas Gold’s $2 billion investment in a new gold and copper mine was inaugurated at Skouries in Halkidiki. According to the prime minister, the project is expected to create 3,000 permanent jobs once operational.
The European Commission has also approved extending the national escape clause to cover energy resilience spending, giving Greece, as Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, additional headroom for almost €1 billion in investment through 2028. Planned measures include installing heat pumps and solar water heaters for 100,000 beneficiaries, as well as improving the energy efficiency of schools and public buildings.
New Karaiskakis Stadium and the 2027 budget
The prime minister also referred to the redevelopment of the “Georgios Karaiskakis” stadium, a €250 million private investment that envisages a new venue with a capacity of 53,000. He said the necessary legislative initiatives were being prepared so that work could begin in May 2027.
To conclude, he presented the forecasts in the draft 2027 budget, which project that the Greek economy will grow by 2% in 2026 and 2.3% in 2027, outpacing the eurozone average.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis also asked the public to assess the new, shorter format of the weekly review, which began in November 2022.
The Prime Minister’s post
“The significance of a news story often lies not only in what happened, but also in what it reveals about a country’s position and its role in international developments. The visit to Athens by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was one such case.
It highlighted the importance Greece has acquired in a region where geopolitical balances are shifting and partnerships are becoming increasingly significant. It also underscored the depth of relations between Greece and the United States, which are taking on real substance across a broad range of areas, as the sixth round of the Greece-US Strategic Dialogue demonstrated: from defence and security, energy and shipping to investment, regional cooperation and technology. Greece is consolidating its position as a pillar of stability in an unstable region and as a reliable partner, as well as a bridge for cooperation between Europe, the United States, the Middle East and the countries of the Arab world and the Gulf.
A shared goal for Athens and Washington is to deepen bilateral cooperation further, giving it more practical and tangible substance. Two of the most important areas in which this is taking shape are energy and defence.
In the energy sector, the Vertical Corridor strengthens the prospects of Greece becoming a hub for transporting natural gas to the European market, while also creating opportunities to make greater use of US LNG. The energy dimension of this cooperation is directly linked to security of supply and the diversification of Europe’s energy sources and routes.
In defence, cooperation ranges from the upgrade of F-16s to Viper standard and the integration of F-35s into the Hellenic Air Force to long-term defence procurement programmes and Greece’s participation in the US National Guard’s State Partnership Program with the state of Florida.
These are different aspects of a relationship that links the modernisation of Greece’s Armed Forces with interoperability and closer cooperation between the two countries. Finally, I would like to congratulate the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the entire ministry team on the excellent organisation of the visit and the strategic dialogue.
Before turning to what happened this week, I thought it might be time to make a few changes to the format of the review. When I started this project in November 2022, I saw it as an opportunity to communicate more directly each week about what is moving forward in the country. Small and large changes, decisions, projects and initiatives do not always fit into the fast-moving news cycle, but they matter to people’s daily lives and to our overall progress. I believe that remains useful.
But I know, because people I meet tell me, that the review can often feel too long. So today I am trying a new “formula”: shorter, clearer and perhaps closer to the way it started. We will see if it works better this way. I would like to hear what you think, too.
So, let’s take a look at what happened this week.
-I’ll start with energy, where we are moving ahead with immediate electricity subsidies for energy-intensive industry, using new European state aid instruments. The measure is expected to ease the burden on Greek production by €95 million. It covers sectors such as food, paper, plastics and cement—in other words, products directly linked to production and transport, and ultimately to the price on the shelf for every household.
-In Crete, following the extreme weather event, our first priority is to support people quickly and help them get back on their feet. Damage assessments have already begun, while state support will cover 100% of damage to affected homes and 70% of business equipment. We are also introducing tax, social security and banking relief measures, as well as support from ELGA for crops and livestock. In addition, €97.8 million in state aid is being allocated to municipalities and regions for repairs and for strengthening critical infrastructure damaged by natural disasters.
-The events in Crete are also a reminder of how critical 112 is to evacuating people from high-risk areas in good time. Our next step in making it even more modern and interoperable is the new e112: people will be able to contact the authorities by text or video, there will be a silent alert button, and people with hearing or speech impairments will have independent access. The system will connect the Police, Fire Service, EKAB and Coast Guard in real time.
-We are doubling the subsidy for fishing fuel from April to August, to as much as 32 cents per litre, to support our fishers. We are already looking at other ways to support the sector, and I will have more to say about that towards the end of the month.
-In education, the new English-language undergraduate medical programme at the University of Patras has opened. It is the 16th English-language programme at a Greek public university, while 200 English-language postgraduate programmes are already running. There was strong interest, with 168 applications from 23 countries. I am pleased that our public universities are opening up more to the world, attracting young people, academics and researchers from abroad.
-Another project to upgrade the National Health System has been completed, this time in Kalymnos: a fully renovated Cardiology Department, alongside the hospital’s recently renovated emergency department. The project was funded by the Recovery Fund, with equipment for the department provided through a donation from siblings Katerina and Ilias Kathopoulis.
-Several important measures to support regional areas moved forward this week: €2 million for housing for doctors and teachers in Agios Efstratios, Amari and Western Samos; €5.13 million for student residences in 20 municipalities; and €6 million for the hospitals of Volos, Karditsa, Trikala and Larissa. Work has also begun on an irrigation network in Nea Mesimvria, a contract has been signed for a flood protection project in Kalamata, a tender has been issued to upgrade the “Miltos Tentoglou” Sports Centre in Grevena, and improvements to Karpathos Airport are moving ahead.
-The investment by “Hellas Gold” in a new gold and copper mine at Skouries in Halkidiki was inaugurated. Worth $2 billion, the project will be subject to strict environmental standards. More than 5,000 people worked on its construction, and 3,000 permanent jobs will be created once it is operational. Importantly, the agreement prioritises workers and suppliers from Halkidiki, so that the benefits of growth stay in and are visible in the area.
-The European Commission has approved, specifically for Greece, the extension of the national escape clause to cover energy resilience spending. This gives us additional headroom for almost €1 billion in investment through 2028, without putting pressure on our fiscal targets. These resources will fund measures such as heat pumps and solar water heaters for 100,000 beneficiaries, clean energy storage, and energy-efficiency upgrades to schools and public buildings.
-A major success for the Hellenic Police and the Economic Crime Prosecution Sub-Directorate of the Greek FBI was the dismantling of a group that, according to the authorities, allegedly defrauded e-EFKA and was involved in extensive tax evasion, causing losses of more than €5 million to the state. Eight people have been arrested, and investigations are continuing. Separately, the competent authorities filed complaints against 18 influencers, trap artists and content creators for promoting illegal gambling on social media. The fight against lawlessness continues.
-Another step was taken this week towards upgrading “Georgios Karaiskakis”, Olympiacos’ historic home ground. This is a private investment of €250 million, aimed at creating a new 53,000-seat stadium worthy of the club’s history. The necessary legislative initiatives are being prepared so that work can begin in May 2027.
Let me finish with the draft 2027 budget, which was submitted this week. The Greek economy is forecast to grow for a seventh consecutive year at a rate above the eurozone average: 2% in 2026 and 2.3% in 2027. This enables us to support society, repay debt early and keep reserves for whatever a difficult winter may bring.
We have achieved a great deal in recent years. And that is precisely why we have a responsibility not to lose our way, but to continue with the same seriousness, so that what we have achieved becomes the foundation for what still needs to be done.
What do you think of the review in this format? I hope it is more useful this way. As always, I look forward to your comments. Have a good day!”