The government’s commitment to raise the minimum wage in 2027 to 950 euros was mentioned in Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis‘ introduction to the cabinet.

“We will keep our commitment that the minimum wage will reach 950 euros in 2027,” he said, referring to the changes the government is promoting so that it cannot be reduced.

“Salaries will not be able to be reduced, but only increased,” he said.

The prime minister noted that “it will be prohibited by law to reduce the minimum wage, and its increase will be determined by the growth rate, but also by inflation, which affects lower incomes.”

“Raising the minimum wage with the prospect of reaching 950 by 2027. We will discuss the permanent system of increasing it after 2027. Plus by law it will be prohibited to reduce it. Growth and productivity of the economy and inflation will be the criteria for its increase. The better the economy is doing, the higher the wage will be. The new system will also favour civil servants, pushing up triennials and bonuses. Salaries will no longer be able to decrease, but only increase,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

The prime minister also recalled that in 2025 insurance contributions will have been decelerated to 6%, with the goal of reaching European levels in 2027.

“All this is being achieved at a time when deficits in European countries are rising. In the UK, just yesterday a new budget was announced with an additional £40bn tax burden. In Greece it is the other way round: fiscally balanced policies and tax fairness that goes from wish to reality. All subsequent additional revenues from tax evasion pave the way for tax cuts. Less arbitrariness of the few means more relief for the many,” he said.

At the same time, Kyriakos Mitsotakis referred to the “tax returns that will now be made consistently, putting a definitive end to the serial of extensions and increasing the deductions for those who pay in a lump sum.”

Special mention was made by the Prime Minister of “the professional rights of artists that have been unregulated for 10 years allowing some to manufacture myths. Today it is this government that comes to answer to staged activism and dissenting concerts as for the first time the country gets a higher school of performing arts. At the same time the many private schools are brought under the auspices of the Ministry of Education. We are clearing up all the blurred points of an unregulated landscape and providing a clear path to connect performing arts with higher education.”

“Greece is changing with the stamp of political stability. It will be interesting to see the attitude of the opposition in the Parliament on the issues we will discuss, and a lot will be revealed there,” Mitsotakis continued meaningfully.

“I will conclude with a foreign policy issue as I will have a meeting with the President of Cyprus against the backdrop of the important talks he had at the White House. It is an important upgrade of the relations of the Megalithic island with the United States. At the same time, it is a development that leads to an energetic diplomacy based on a partnership between Greece and Cyprus. The resolution of the Cyprus problem is part of the solution of an equation in a sensitive region of the world,” the Prime Minister concluded in his speech.

The topics of the cabinet meeting are:

– Presentation by Minister of Labour and Social Security Niki Kerameos of the bill on the transposition of the 2022/2041 directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union

– Presentation by the Minister of National Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis of the legislative initiatives: a) Procedure for submission of tax returns, b) New structure of the Independent Public Revenue Authority

– Presentation by Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis of a draft law on the regulation of issues related to the organization and operation of the Ministry

– Presentation by Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias and Deputy Minister Yannis Kefalogiannis of a bill on the regulation of health issues of the Armed Forces

– Presentation by Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni and Minister of Interior Thodoris Livanios of the legislative initiatives for the Higher School of Performing Arts, the Schools of Higher Artistic Education and the Music Educational Institutions

– Presentation by the Minister of Development Takis Theodoricakos of a draft law on public procurement procedures, the exercise of judicial and pre-judicial appeals and the professionalisation of the public procurement sector

– Presentation by the Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni and the Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Yannis Vroutsis of the heraldic bills of their ministries.