The full return of the government after the brief summer break also marks the start of preparations for the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF). Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is heading to Thessaloniki today, accompanied by half of his cabinet, to present the national strategy for regional development. He will also hold the usual meetings with business, social, and scientific stakeholders in preparation for his speech on September 7th.

Mr. Mitsotakis’ schedule begins with a morning meeting with New Democracy MPs from Thessaloniki’s A’ and B’ electoral districts, as well as party officials. Following this, at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, he will discuss the national strategy for regional development, which will include the presentation of the digital platform erga.gov.gr for transparency in monitoring the implementation of key projects. Mr. Mitsotakis’ visit to Thessaloniki follows his inspection of an OASA construction site, where 30 new buses, out of a total of 211 that will be gradually integrated into the fleet, have been incorporated into suburban routes in Attica. After the event at the Concert Hall, the Prime Minister will meet with various stakeholders.

The event will be attended by key government officials, including Minister of State Akis Skertsos, Deputy Minister Thanasis Kontogeorgis, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Giorgos Mylonakis, Government Spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, Minister of Infrastructure Christos Staikouras, Minister of Environment and Energy Theodoros Skylakakis, Minister of Development Takis Theodorikakos, Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, Deputy Minister of Finance Nikos Papathanasis, Deputy Minister of Industry Anna Mani-Papadimitriou, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Nikos Tachiaos, and Deputy Minister of Interior Vasilis Spanakis.

Targeted Support Measures

Government officials, however, are downplaying expectations of generous handouts, stating that there will not be a “basket of benefits” and emphasizing that the Prime Minister does not promise unattainable goals and takes fiscal constraints into account. According to the government, this year’s TIF will be focused on work, with the Prime Minister addressing issues that concern citizens rather than making grand announcements.

Officials stress that any announcements will be based on available fiscal space. It is noted that, according to the EU’s proposal, expenses in 2025 may increase by €3 billion compared to 2024, although there is an effort to increase this further. However, in 2025, approximately €850 million will be allocated to defense spending, mainly due to the delivery of Belharra frigates, €1 billion for regular expenses, primarily for health and education, and €1 billion for pension increases, bringing the total close to €3 billion, with additional fiscal space being sought.

Mr. Mitsotakis will focus particularly on welfare benefits, announcing changes to unemployment benefits, which were revealed on the Sunday edition of Proto Thema. These changes will include a more “proportional” payment structure and adjustments to the eligibility criteria. Announcements will also be made regarding other welfare and social benefits, with the aim of more targeted distribution to those most in need. Therefore, adjustments to the eligibility criteria are expected, while in some cases, such as child benefits, there will be nominal increases.

Additionally, plans are being finalized to equate the benefits for families with three children to those with more children. Also, a housing package is being finalized that will include tax incentives to open up vacant apartments, the “My Home 2” program, and increased funding for the “Renovate-Rent” program. Announcements are also expected regarding the infrastructure of healthcare and school facilities, while it remains to be seen if there will be any surprises, such as potential salary increases for employees in the national health system, where wages remain relatively low.