Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in an interview with ANT1 on Friday morning, highlighted the significance of the upcoming European elections, stating that they will determine how strong Greece’s voice will be over the next five years.
He also discussed the new “My Home” program, for which funding sources are being sought, as we enter the final stretch towards the European elections on June 9.
At the same time, he criticized the opposition, saying that “if we implemented even a part of SYRIZA’s program, we would automatically be placed under supervision.”
Specifically regarding Mr. Kasselakis, he reminded that “he has not been tested anywhere, I have been elected as a Member of Parliament for 20 years, and my financial disclosures have been scrutinized.”
“The European elections are crucial because they will determine how strong Greece’s voice will be over the next five years. It is very important for Greece to approach these negotiations as strongly as possible. New Democracy has proven that it knows how to negotiate, and the stronger New Democracy is, the better it can negotiate,” said the Prime Minister as he began the interview.
“Because this is a national election and because the opposition has turned it into an informal referendum, the stronger New Democracy is on the night of June 9, the less anyone will be able to question the continuation of reforms. Every election is an opportunity for citizens to make their voices heard. We will neither hide difficulties nor sweep problems under the rug,” Mr. Mitsotakis added.
Specifically regarding the reduction of VAT, he noted that “it costs the public treasury a great deal. Anyone who supports it, whether they are in the opposition, industrialists, or supermarket owners, should consider what they themselves can do and tell us which taxes to increase or which benefits to cut.”
Regarding the goal for the European elections, he said, “I have learned to set goals. I don’t hide. Since we got 33% in the previous European elections, that is the benchmark. We want to approach and, why not, exceed that percentage. It is a national election that will send messages both within and outside of Greece. This gives me negotiating power in Brussels, and I want to maintain this lead. I cannot set a target for the number of MEPs because it will depend on the percentage the smaller parties will gather.”
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The discussion then turned to national issues and relations with Turkey, with the Prime Minister noting that “we will exhaust all possibilities to discuss the issue of delimiting the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is the only major issue we have. The other issues are not matters any Greek government will discuss, as they have been resolved by history and international treaties that have defined the borders in the Eastern Mediterranean. I am also concerned and waiting to see what will happen with the unacceptable ideology of the Blue Homeland in school textbooks. It is very dangerous to poison the younger generation with ahistorical and baseless theories.”
Regarding the tragedy in Tempi, the Prime Minister said, “The case is a burden for the government but mainly for the judiciary, which now carries the weight. This issue should not be politicized. Ask the opposition parties for accountability regarding their exploitation of this matter. To any relative who contacted me, I explained my perspective. I did not politicize it, nor did I capitalize on the pain of the relatives.”
“We still have 3 years of the government’s term left. You know I don’t like frequent changes, but when problems are identified, interventions are made. This is not related to electoral performance. Immediately after the European elections, on Monday, we will put our heads down and return 100% to government work,” he stated in the end
