Government spokesperson and Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Pavlos Marinakis, took a clear swipe at Vassilis Kikilias and Adonis Georgiadis, commenting during the political correspondents’ briefing on their recent statements and social media posts regarding extending salary increases from the Armed Forces to the police, coast guard, and fire brigade.

“Ministers know that they participate in the Cabinet and are bound by the decisions of the Cabinet,” said Mr. Marinakis, adding, with reference to both ministers and other MPs: “There are no more or less sensitive people.”

The government spokesperson stated that the administration wants to raise income for all citizens, which is why it’s implementing policies that create jobs and, for the first time, address tax evasion—leading to increased revenue.

“Where the money goes, like overall economic policy, is decided by the financial team under the guidance of the Prime Minister, based on fiscal criteria—not through posts or media statements,” he said. Asked about the cancellation of the Prime Minister’s visit to the Health Ministry today, Mr. Marinakis responded: “There’s no message in that; he will visit next week.”

“The ND government will never adopt a ‘give it all away’ mentality”

The government spokesperson stressed that the current administration “will never adopt a ‘give it all away’ mentality. We want our country in 2025 to look citizens in the eye regarding both the present and the future.” As such, he ruled out any return to either the 1980s or the bailout era.

“Younger generations paid dearly for that mentality of overspending. And the bill came to them. The Mitsotakis government will not allow that, even if it would temporarily make us more popular,” he said.

“No one will be left out”

Addressing payroll issues, Mr. Marinakis noted that the government has already given public servants the equivalent of 1.3 additional monthly salaries. “No one will be left out—but under the right terms and at the right time, not according to popularity contests or media spin,” he said. For uniformed personnel, three specific interventions have already been announced.

In the same context, he clarified that the announcement of the new ranking and pay structure for the Armed Forces by Nikos Dendias, following the Prime Minister’s interview, was made for three reasons. “First, the exodus from military academies—the difficulty in convincing students to apply to officer schools. The government cannot continue to turn a blind eye,” he explained, noting the announcements coincided with university entrance application deadlines.

The second reason, he said, was “the savings achieved by the Defense Ministry. Sixty percent of the announced payroll cost is covered by these savings.”

The third reason was “the escape clause. It was one of the Prime Minister’s hallmark initiatives—an enormous success that it will remain in effect. We couldn’t fathom the Armed Forces, which operate advanced equipment, not receiving commensurate pay,” he said.

“Naturally, we’ll act accordingly for other uniformed services too”

“It’s obvious that we will proceed accordingly for other uniformed personnel as well. Each case requires a tailored approach. It’s not just about the uniformed services—it’s about Greek society as a whole. Everyone has needs,” Marinakis concluded.