The atmosphere within New Democracy has turned turbulent over the issue of special payrolls for uniformed personnel, with the favorable climate created by Nikos Dendias’s announcement for the Armed Forces last Friday already seeming like a thing of the past.

It began with reactions from police unionists, who were upset about not being included in the newly announced round of raises, and continued with barbed comments from government ministers and several ND MPs.

This internal government crisis emerged while Kyriakos Mitsotakis was en route to Israel. He had to manage a flare-up triggered mainly by comments from Maritime Affairs Minister Vasilis Kikilias (on ERT), who said police, firefighters, and coastguards should also be rewarded like the Armed Forces personnel.

Kikilias: “There are no first- and second-class uniformed workers”

Kikilias, who oversees the coastguard, was soon backed by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, who confidently claimed Mitsotakis would meet the demand.

Then the matter gained new momentum, with 14 ND MPs—mostly from the party’s right wing—lining up to support the call (G. Plakiotakis, Th. Plevris, D. Markopoulos, S. Petsas, F. Arampatzi, N. Mitarakis, A. Katsaniotis, F. Baraliakos, Th. Karaoglou, T. Dimoschakis, A. Dermetzopoulos, Z. Makri, Th. Leontaridis). Notably, former minister and EU commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos had already raised the issue Saturday night. Today, MP for Evros and former police chief Tasos Dimoschakis is expected to submit a written question to the relevant ministers, along with other MPs.

Political observers note that this could have been avoided if, on the day of Dendias’s announcements, there had been some behind-the-scenes coordination with police unions—urging them to wait until TIF—so that Dendias’s carefully planned declaration wouldn’t be overshadowed.

Mitsotakis’s Displeasure and a Clear Rebuke for Ministers

The interventions by the two ministers caused visible annoyance to Mitsotakis in Israel, as well as to top government officials in Athens. That’s why, shortly after 5:00 p.m. yesterday, the government attempted damage control through a lengthy briefing detailing what had and had not been done.

Included in this was a clear jab at specific individuals:

“The government’s economic policy for the public sector is conducted centrally by the financial team under the guidance of the prime minister—not in a fragmented or ad hoc manner, especially not through public statements. Every initiative is part of an overarching plan, which includes cost-saving measures and is always implemented without jeopardizing the country’s fiscal stability,” government sources stated.

Mitsotakis didn’t stop there. According to reliable information from protothema.gr, after his meeting with Netanyahu, Mitsotakis called Kikilias in what was described as a “difficult” phone conversation. Furthermore, Mitsotakis postponed his scheduled visit to the Health Ministry today, where Adonis Georgiadis was set to receive him—officially due to his late return from Israel.

Upcoming Raises

This topic is expected to dominate the morning talk shows and radio programs today. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis is expected to play a mediating role, hinting at pay raises for other uniformed personnel—after TIF.

The government clarified that Armed Forces members, like all uniformed staff, will receive a €30 raise on April 1st and another €100 increase from the hazard allowance on July 1st. The new raise for the Armed Forces is scheduled for year-end, so more detailed announcements about the other payrolls will be made by Mitsotakis in September from TIF.

The government also insists that, in the case of the Defense Ministry, EU fiscal rules now exempt defense spending, providing extra budgetary space through the activation of the escape clause. They also argue that urgent action was needed due to low interest in military academies and rising resignation rates in the Navy. Finally, they say Defense Minister Nikos Dendias found funds for the raise by trimming spending and cutting unnecessary officer posts—what they described as “excess fat.”

Tension Within the Party

This sudden political “storm” within New Democracy revealed that internal tensions have not subsided—and may have worsened since the recent cabinet reshuffle. What caught the government off guard was the backlash from ministers. The party’s parliamentary group will meet this Friday to elect a new secretary, Apostolos Vesyropoulos.

By then, Mitsotakis will have already announced a 12-year defense equipment plan worth over €25 billion—setting the stage for further developments.