Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent a new message to North Macedonia, urging them to focus on putting an end to petty politics and serious on implementing the Prespa Agreement warning about thier international isolation. This statement was made during an interview Wednesday morning.
Mitsotakis also criticized SYRIZA for their apolitical populism, which he claimed is a reminder of the “past” SYRIZA, promising everything to everyone and bringing the country to the brink of bankruptcy. He further attacked Dimitris Natsios and Kyriakos Velopoulos, labeling them as nationalist exploiters.
Regarding Stefanos Kasselakis, Mitsotakis said that a little more modesty and less vanity wouldn’t hurt, accusing him of turning internet trolls into official political positions.
On Greek-Turkish relations, Mitsotakis noted that Greece hasn’t changed its policy towards Turkey in the last five years. Turkey changed, moving from ‘Mitsotakis yok’ to a state of normalcy.”
When asked about inflation, in light of his letter to the President of the European Commission and the response he received, Mitsotakis expressed that Greeces has sustained the worst of its inflation and will now see targeted price reductions.
Memorial service for Konstantinos Karamanlis
Prespa Agreement
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized the necessity of upholding the Prespa Agreement, insisting that the country should be referred to as North Macedonia, not the Republic of Macedonia. He urged North Macedonia to move past election tactics. Mitsotakis highlighted that significant international pressure is being applied, with reactions from the President of the European Commission following Greek intervention. He stated that Greece is not isolated, but Skopje is, and expressed confidence that North Macedonia will adapt as Greece seeks good relations.
Criticizing SYRIZA, Mitsotakis questioned why they had not submitted a legislative proposal in the past five years. He pointed out that when VMRO was coming to power with extreme rhetoric, it was decided internally not to proceed with ratification of the memoranda. He assured citizens that although he could not annul the agreement with one law, he had been honest about this limitation.
Mr. Kasselakis should not be so simplistic in his approach
Prime Minister Mitsotakis criticized opposition figures for what he perceived as simplistic and populist rhetoric, especially highlighting their lack of concrete proposals for European policies and national defense. He accused them of ignoring the complexities of governance and urged them to show more humility, particularly newer MPs who lack parliamentary experience. He expressed frustration with the opposition’s focus on criticism rather than constructive dialogue. Additionally, he defended his government’s hosting of international events and emphasized the importance of fulfilling contractual obligations despite criticism from opposition quarters.
The prime minister reiterated a target of 33% for the upcoming European elections, emphasizing the strengthening of patriotic values in Greece compared to previous years. He highlighted the distinction between responsible patriotism and more extreme nationalist figures within the political spectrum. Regarding the opposition’s focus on criticizing his leadership, he expressed confidence in maintaining their electoral mandate. In terms of economic concerns, the prime minister addressed inflation, acknowledging its impact on citizens and efforts taken by the government to intervene in markets, particularly in sectors like olive oil.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis emphasized the need for intervention in multinational practices that result in arbitrary pricing and called for EU intervention to address the issue. He stressed the importance of sharing the benefits of economic development between entrepreneurs and workers, citing the decrease in unemployment and the importance of raising wages.
Regarding the possibility of reducing VAT, Mitsotakis expressed concerns about the financial feasibility and doubted whether the reduction would be passed on to consumers. He highlighted the targeted nature of social allowances and prioritized budget implementation to maintain surpluses.
On Greek-Turkish relations, Mitsotakis noted Greece’s consistent policy and recent positive developments, including reduced airspace violations and progress on immigration and visa agreements. He acknowledged ongoing challenges in resolving longstanding disputes but emphasized the value of dialogue while cautioning against escalation of tensions fueled by provocative rhetoric.
“The first thing we need to do is agree on the rules. The package solution is not discussed by Greece since we recognize only one difference. I don’t expect that in the next 12 months we will have anything that will change the goalposts I find it unlikely but the dialogue has value. We may have disagreements but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk. We are not seeing an escalation of provocative rhetoric, if we were there would be a backlash. And in Greece and Turkey there are some people who seem to feed off the tension in the relations between the two countries,” the prime minister also said about the Greek-Turkish language.
He made it clear that “for marine parks, our position is clear. I don’t know if I expected a reaction, but this issue does not concern Turkey. It is not a matter that enters the discussion. I went to Ankara and answered confidently and politely that there is no ‘Turkish’ minority and that Hamas is a terrorist organization for us.”
“If we also go for hard deterrence I will be in Normandy in 2 weeks at the invitation of Macron for the anniversary of the Normandy landings and I will be in Lorient where three state-of-the-art frigates are being built. Strong deterrence is a prerequisite for a confident foreign policy. I believe that Turkey has realized that the previous policy was leading it into a direct conflict with Europe and the USA and is making an adjustment to realism, and that is what we also wanted,” concluded the prime minister regarding the Greek-Turkish language.
Tempe
Mr. Mitsotakis addressed concerns about justice following the Tempi tragedy, emphasizing that the case is proceeding swiftly and condemning conspiracy theories. He expressed willingness to meet with victims’ families and defended the government’s handling of the investigation.
On government stability, he emphasized his reluctance for frequent changes, citing his commitment to improvement within his current term. He praised the performance of President Sakellaropoulou. Closing, he expressed hopes for Greek sports success and proposed making the Greek Cup final a permanent fixture at OAKA stadium. He emphasized the importance of humor alongside the seriousness of politics.
“I anticpate that my proposal will be accepted by the EPO to make the final permanent without any doubt” added the prime minister in the shadow of the decision that this year’s final between Panathinaikos and Aris next Saturday will be played without fans at Panthessalikos in Volos.
As he noted, “major interventions are being made at OAKA and the stadium should not be under-functioning, but on the contrary we should know that at least once a year the great celebration of football will be held there”.
“I aspire my proposal will be accepted and we will guarantee security” Kyriakos Mitsotakis concluded on the matter.
