Following the national mourning in memory of Kostas Simitis, the government returns to its daily routine and today the ministerial council meets for the first time in 2025. It is in fact a continuation of the cabinet that met two days before Christmas, when ministers received the famous “blue envelopes” with the government’s planning for the new year.

According to Kyriakos Mitsotakis associates, the prime minister will set the political tone for the government and the country in a turbulent international environment. The challenges that these days present themselves in relief, such as the claims of US President Trump and the new environment that is taking shape in the US, Musk‘s interventions in European governments, as well as the climate crisis that is driving mega-fires like the one that burned Los Angeles, Mr. Mitsotakis will contrast Greece’s image as an example of stability.

“Greece is a country that is not vulnerable. It is a country that radiates, and exports stability and security. It is something that counts very much in this period.” government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis commented yesterday (Talk Radio 98.9) in this vein.

In any case, the cabinet is also meeting in an environment of anticipation ahead of its proposal for the President of the Republic expected next week, with a highly likely date of Thursday, January 16.

Term for Public Disciplinary Tribunals

Setting the tone for the government’s 2025 interventions, Mitsotakis is expected in his introductory remarks to stand in particular on the bill to be presented by the political leadership of the Ministry of Interior (Theodoros Livanios and Vivi Charalabogianni) on the radical changes to be made by the end of the year to the Disciplinary Councils of the public sector.

Several cases are “stuck” there, several of which have not even begun to be heard in the first instance. The government intends to abolish the 92 primary disciplinary councils and the secondary ones and create a single body composed exclusively of officials from the State Legal Council. In its full development, the body will have 50 NSC officials who will evaluate cases in three- or five-member panels. At the same time, those who will participate in the new Disciplinary Board will be full-time and exclusive, unlike today when judges, NSC officials, and permanent civil servants who participate have other primary employment and a heavy workload. The aim is to clear up several outstanding issues in the coming period and speed up the time taken to hear cases.

Another bill of particular interest is the new operating rules to be introduced for the Stock Exchange by Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, aimed at boosting interest from institutional investors and “clearing” the landscape. At the same time, the Securities and Exchange Commission is also expected to take on a supervisory role for the increasingly popular cryptocurrency markets.