The interview given by government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis to ERTNews focused on the passage of a bill restricting children under 15 from accessing social media, as well as foreign policy, migration, the economy and the energy crisis, and the opposition’s stance.
On the bill concerning social media, the government spokesman described its passage as a positive development, stressing that it was an intervention intended to address the challenges of the digital age.
He clarified that the measure was not intended to punish children, but to protect them from the risks of using the platforms without adequate safeguards.
He strongly criticised the opposition parties, noting that PASOK voted “present”, while the other parties voted against the bill. “They are out of touch with reality”, he said, adding that their stance showed they were “a long way from society”.
Mr Marinakis argued that restrictions should be accompanied by broader measures, such as fostering critical thinking in schools.
He also warned about the effects of excessive exposure to short-form content, saying that generations are growing up who struggle to read and concentrate.
He singled out misinformation and the risks posed by fake online profiles and artificial intelligence.
He stressed that videos created with the help of AI should be clearly labelled, so people know what they are watching.
He said tackling these problems was linked to protecting democracy and required European rules and cooperation with digital platforms.
Referring to the Turkey-Libya memorandum, the government spokesman rejected the description of it as a “defeat” for Greece, arguing that it was an illegal and baseless agreement with no legal effect.
“Foreign policy should not be analysed in terms of winners and losers”, he said, arguing that Greece had strengthened its international standing through EEZ agreements with Egypt and Italy, maritime spatial planning and the upgrading of its defence capabilities.
In this context, he cited the Rafale aircraft, Belharra frigates, and the F-16 and F-35 programmes, stressing that the country had secured significant agreements and alliances.
On migration, he cited a significant fall in arrivals, saying that flows had declined from about 61,000 to just over 40,000 year on year.
He also acknowledged increased pressure south of Crete, but assured that the situation remained under control and that accommodation facilities were at about 50% capacity.
On the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnector, he reiterated that the project would go ahead as planned, describing it as a major energy project that would end the Republic of Cyprus’s energy isolation.
He clarified that the necessary permits would be issued by the Greek authorities, while the company implementing the project would make the required notifications.
When asked about the two former prime ministers, he drew a distinction between Kostas Karamanlis and Antonis Samaras.
He argued that specific statements and remarks by Antonis Samaras had made his expulsion inevitable, while Kostas Karamanlis’s interventions voiced concerns without seeking to damage the party.
He expressed optimism about the party’s unity ahead of the election, sending a message to members of New Democracy: “So let’s not shoot ourselves in the foot”.
On the economy, he acknowledged that the energy crisis was affecting the country, outlining three areas of government action: permanent tax cuts, emergency support measures and additional measures dependent on European decisions on fiscal rules.
He argued that higher revenues were linked to growth and efforts to tackle tax evasion, rejecting the idea of fiscal easing without funding.
Finally, on developments in basketball, he expressed concern about the images that had come to light, stressing that the judiciary should be allowed to complete its work.
He recalled that complaints received by the Ministry of Sport had been referred to the competent authorities and stressed the need to protect the sport as a whole, isolating anyone found to be responsible for irregularities.