In his customary Sunday review, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis began with a reference to the arson attack in Thessaloniki and the death of Vagia Nestora, stressing that “no ideological pretext can justify a murderous attack” and making it clear that the perpetrators will be held accountable before Justice.
Following is the prime minister’s full post on Facebook:
“As in life, so too in politics, there are moments when everything else takes second place. The tragic loss of a human life after the arson attack in Thessaloniki overshadowed every other development of this week.
Our country has paid a very high price, in blood and pain, for blind violence. What happened in Thessaloniki shows in the harshest way that no ideological pretext can justify a murderous attack. The perpetrators of this ruthless attack against officials of New Democracy will be found and will be held accountable before Justice.
It is obvious that our firm decision since 2019 to confront lawlessness and enforce the law everywhere bothers some people. So learn, from here as well, that we are not going to back down, nor allow the country to return to the years of division. Just as 17 November was dismantled and just as Golden Dawn was broken up, so it will be with these cowards who pretend to be revolutionaries.
And, obviously, it is not enough simply to condemn violence after the harm has been done. All of us, parties and politicians, must reflect on our responsibilities. When political discourse becomes toxic and divisive, when we treat our opponent as an enemy who must be exterminated, then we are essentially rolling out the red carpet for those who want to commit crimes.
We experienced this very painfully in the years of the crisis and we must not allow it again. We will fight this battle against the mindsets that hold us back to the very end. Because memory is the daily struggle that every Democracy that does not want and must not repeat the mistakes of the past must wage.
This is of particular importance especially today, as it marks 11 years since the sad anniversary of the 2015 referendum that almost took us out of the euro. The forces that caused it “learned nothing but also forgot nothing.” And today they appear with exactly the same political views and without sincere repentance to seek once again the vote of the citizens. Greece will move forward, even if some refuse to learn from the mistakes of the past.
To be absolutely honest, this is one of those times when I find it difficult to continue this review as if it were an ordinary week. But I must do so, because reality out there does not stop.
So I begin with the most pressing front, that of high prices. On our initiative, we had the commitment of the business community that in July and August, on the one hand, there would be no price increases, the reduced prices due to the cap would remain in place for this two-month period on 2,000 product codes, and preparations would be made so that from the beginning of September there would also be a significant reduction in the prices of basic products widely used by the average Greek household.
In the same spirit of supporting the family, we implemented yet another of our commitments. During the week, the extraordinary support payment of 150 euros per child to approximately 950,000 families was made, without any application being required from the beneficiaries. The support concerns 1,525,188 children, while for children born after January 1, 2025 who do not yet have a tax identification number, we have provided for a second payment by the end of August.
We were also absolutely consistent toward farmers, with the completion of the first cycle of payments for the first half of the year. The transition of OPEKEPE to AADE, a difficult but necessary reform, is already beginning to bear fruit. More than 617 million euros were paid to approximately 530,000 genuine beneficiaries, while overall since the beginning of the year agricultural aid has exceeded 1.1 billion euros.
The most important thing is that the payments were made with greater reliability and transparency, something that the farmers themselves acknowledge. Thus, we now have the ability to reallocate resources that until now ended up with those who were not entitled to them, and the real producers were strengthened by +15% this year, and will be strengthened even more in the next payment cycle in the autumn.
I want to dwell on the next intervention, as I consider it particularly important. I wrote to you about it on Friday as well. With a legislative regulation, we are permanently correcting an injustice in survivor’s pensions, abolishing the cut provided for by the Katrougalos law after the passage of three years. Beneficiaries will continue to receive 70% of the deceased’s pension, without the reduction to 35%, without having to return even one euro retroactively, and in the event that they receive two national pensions, they will receive them normally.
It is a decision of social justice that is being put into practice without jeopardizing the fiscal stability of the social security system, as the increase in employment and the implementation of the digital work card are steadily strengthening the revenues of the insurance funds.
Last week, a particularly important report by the OECD was also presented, confirming that Greece has turned the page, closing yet another painful chapter of the crisis of the previous decade, that of brain drain. With the seal of an international organization, it is recognized that, since 2023, for the first time after many years, more Greeks are now returning to our homeland than are leaving
. Overall, in the two-year period 2023-2024, 98,000 Greek men and women returned and 69,000 left. Brain drain is now turning into brain gain. This did not happen by chance. It is the result of the stability we achieved, the growth we created, and the policies we implemented since 2019: more jobs, better prospects, tax incentives for repatriation, support for innovation, a digital state, and reforms that make Greece more attractive as a place to live and create.
I know that not all problems have been solved. There is still much to be done so that our young people can find even more opportunities here, better pay, and a state that rewards effort. However, the data show that we are on the right path. We continue consistently, so that Greece may definitively become a country of return, prospects, and optimism for all Greeks.
The next section of the review is the health sector. This week we inaugurated the renovated Penteli Children’s Hospital, a project that substantially changes the daily life of young patients, their families, and the people who work there. It is something more than a building renovation, as it includes interventions in the courtyard area, infrastructure for people with disabilities, and many other provisions that contribute to a radical upgrade of the health services provided.
This new renovation is part of the largest upgrade of the NHS infrastructure since its establishment and is being implemented by our government as we had committed to do in 2023. I want to thank the charitable foundation Kaizen Foundation for its significant donation.
As for the staff of the NHS, let me say that in the largest simultaneous job posting in the history of the NHS, the response from the medical community was significantly improved, as 962 of the 1,171 positions were filled. This is clear proof that the institutional and financial incentives we established are paying off.
The remaining 209 positions that were left without candidates are mainly in hospitals in remote areas, although, compared to the past, in some of these areas there was ultimately a response. All these vacant positions will be reposted during the summer. Let me point out that for this year the largest annual reinforcement of the NHS in personnel has been scheduled, which includes 5,208 permanent positions (1,800 medical, 1,930 nursing, and 1,478 other staff) and 3,000 positions for auxiliary staff, raising the total potential reinforcement to 8,208 people.
There had also been much discussion about the free afternoon surgeries, an initiative of ours aimed at reducing the waiting time for an operation to under 4 months. The goal was achieved to a large extent. In the spring of 2024, 90,000 surgeries were pending and in some cases the wait reached 2 years.
Today the number of surgeries waiting from 4 to 6 months has “fallen” to 7,000! In this effort, this emergency Recovery Fund program acted as the great accelerator, offering free services to 26,000 of our fellow citizens. It may have been completed on June 30, but if the pressure rises again, a solution will be sought with state resources.
One more reform I want to highlight this week concerns Local Government. With the new Local Government Code, we are putting in order an institutional framework that for years had become complex and fragmented.
We are modernizing and simplifying the way municipalities and regions operate, strengthening their autonomy and giving them more tools so that they can respond more effectively to the needs of local communities. Among other things, the election of mayors and regional governors in a single round is established, the possibility of electronic voting is instituted, a new system for staffing personnel positions is created through an electronic ASEP registry, and the possibility is given to grant a birth allowance of up to 3,000 euros per child, by decision of the Municipal Council, and to support employees in mountainous and island municipalities by expanding social benefits.
The final goal of this reform is simple: less bureaucracy, more efficiency, and better service to the citizen.
And to move on to infrastructure projects, another important project is entering its final stretch. The fourth and final phase of the electrical interconnection of the Cyclades with the mainland electricity system was completed by ADMIE, with the integration of Santorini, Folegandros, Milos and Serifos.
In the next period, the necessary tests will be carried out so that the interconnection can gradually be put into full operation over the coming months. It is a project of strategic importance, which strengthens the energy security of our islands, especially during the summer months, while at the same time reducing their dependence on polluting oil units and contributing to the green transition.
I remain on our islands, where with NSRF resources, we are moving forward with the creation of housing for the accommodation of doctors, nurses, teachers, and members of the Security Forces serving in island municipalities. The first homes have already been secured in Lipsi, Astypalaia, Ithaca, Tinos, Amorgos, Patmos, and the Municipality of Agios Vasileios, while the program provides for the creation of 100 homes in total.
In the same spirit, but not on an island, in Grevena the first 40 title deeds were delivered to the beneficiaries of the workers’ housing in the Kyrakli settlement, closing a pending issue of almost 20 years. DYPA undertook in 2023 to complete the project, which will include a total of 80 homes and the necessary shared infrastructure.
Another issue that concerns all of our daily lives, but also road safety, is the rapid spread of electric scooters. This new reality on our roads needs rules, because we have already mourned young people. Therefore, those under 17 years old will not be allowed on the road with an electric scooter, the fine rises to 350 euros for those who exceed 50 km per hour, drivers must carry lawful identification documents and proof of insurance, which is mandatory.
On the other hand, companies that sell, provide, or rent out electric scooters to persons under 17 years old will be punished with a fine of 1,000 euros. I ask you all to be particularly careful when using electric scooters. It is not a game.
I come to the field of Education, where the free Digital Tutoring platform will also operate in July and August. The “live” lessons were completed with the end of the Panhellenic Examinations, but we decided that the platform should remain open and provide free access to thousands of hours of educational content, revision materials, tests, and recorded lessons for the preparation of children.
At the same time, from the new school year we are proceeding with significant changes to the country’s school network so that it responds better to the needs of students and the demographic developments of each area.
Thus, ten new Secondary Education school units are being created, while Special Education is also being significantly strengthened with the upgrading of 14 school units to Special Education and with the establishment of five new ones in areas with increased needs, specifically in Sapes of Rodopi, in Skopelos, in Monolofo in Western Thessaloniki, in Rethymno, and in Leros.
All the new structures will operate from the 2026-2027 school year. Needs are changing and the school network must adapt, so that every child has access to the education they need, as close as possible to the place where they live.
I close with news from the field of culture. After 12 years, the Archaeological Museum of Argos reopened its gates, fully renovated and modernized. It now has more than double the exhibition space, hosting unique finds from Mycenaean civilization, giving the residents of the area as well as visitors the opportunity to better get to know the history of one of the most important archaeological sites in our country. And I want to note that since 2019, 32 new or fully renovated museums have been delivered to the public throughout Greece. The importance we attach to culture is constant, and this is proven in practice.
With this I conclude today’s review. Thank you for the time you devoted to reading it. Happy Sunday!”