“We will continue until the end of this four-year term with the same conviction that Greece can become even better,” states Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his customary Sunday post on Facebook.

On the occasion of the fact that tomorrow marks six years since New Democracy took over the government in 2019, the Prime Minister notes that “we faced unprecedented crises, but we did not stray from our main goal: to make Greece stronger, fairer, and more modern.”

Referring to the OPEKEPE case, he emphasizes that “a more intense effort is needed to instill a new culture of responsibility and adherence to legality, far from clientelist mindsets and policies that definitively belong to the past. Rest assured that we are making this effort — and will continue to do so.”

“Did we do everything perfectly? Obviously not. There is still much to be done and corrected,” adds the Prime Minister, citing figures on unemployment reduction, the labor reform bill, joint postgraduate study programs between major Greek universities and prestigious foreign institutions, and measures against violence in stadiums.

The entire post by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Good morning to all. It’s not easy to measure time in politics. Some days feel like years, and some years pass as if they were a day. However, there are certain moments that remind you how far you’ve come. One such moment is tomorrow, as it marks 6 years since we first assumed the governance of our homeland in 2019. Six years with significant challenges, but also remarkable progress. We faced unprecedented crises, but we did not deviate from our core goal: for Greece to become stronger, fairer, more modern.

We now have the lowest unemployment since 2008. Growth higher than the Eurozone average. Foreign investments are at a historic high. The National Health System is being strengthened, Justice is being digitized, while Public Administration is changing. Pensions are granted faster, workers are protected by the digital work card, we support youth with a housing policy of 43 actions. Universities, schools, transportation, defense, civil protection: in all critical areas, we have taken steps forward.

Did we do everything perfectly? Obviously not. There is still much to be done and corrected.

I myself have recognized many times mistakes, delays, and missteps in handling, taking political responsibility because we did not correct the problems in time, as in the case of OPEKEPE. We do not hide behind our finger. A more vigorous effort is needed to instill a new culture of responsibility and legality, away from clientelist mentalities and policies that belong definitively to the past. Be assured that we are making and will continue to make this effort.

So, there is still much to change. But I know—and so do you—that there are just as many things that have changed. We will continue until the end of this four-year term with the same faith that Greece can become even better. And at the end of the journey, it will be the citizens who judge us.

I close this anniversary reflection here and move on to the customary Sunday review.

First topic today: the €8 billion we secured from three new European financial instruments: the Social Climate Fund, the Modernization Fund, and the Islands Decarbonization Fund. A significant support for our society and economy for the period 2026–2032, which comes as a continuation of the development strategy that began with the Recovery Fund. The funds will be directed to sectors such as environmental protection, energy upgrades, modernization of urban transport, construction of new social housing, as well as actions for social cohesion, with emphasis on people with disabilities. At the same time, we had the positive recommendation from the Commission for the revised “Greece 2.0” plan, which includes new projects with immediate impact on daily life: from the upgrade of safety in the ten largest OSE railway tunnels and the creation of smart crossings in school units, to the enhancement of lighting on road arteries, the procurement of an additional 175 electric buses in Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as the modernization of public health, schools, and public services with new digital tools. The same plan also provides for the procurement of two aircraft for Civil Protection. We continue, then, step by step, with targeted investments that respond to real needs.

On Tuesday, the legislative regulation for settlements under 2,000 inhabitants across the country was also presented, an issue that greatly concerned public opinion due to misinformation about what exactly the relevant Presidential Decree provides. So let’s clarify: for all settlements under 700 inhabitants, which are the overwhelming majority, the existing boundaries will be maintained as they were drawn decades ago. Therefore, absolutely nothing changes. For settlements between 700 and 2,000 inhabitants, a flexible tool will be created that will allow construction also in areas that essentially occupy the existing Zone C, with more flexibility than is currently provided for out-of-plan construction. With this regulation, we resolve old ambiguities and support the prospects of small settlements, with respect for the identity and historical heritage of each place.

Next topic, the new bill from the Ministry of Labor, with a set of measures aimed exactly at what its title says: Fair work for all – Simplification of legislation – Support for workers – Protection in practice. These are changes based on proposals that came mainly from workers, businesses, and national social partners, through an extensive and substantive dialogue among all parties. With the new framework, the hiring process is accelerated and simplified, management of working time becomes even more flexible on a daily, weekly, or even yearly basis—provided there is an individual agreement between employer and employee, with strict observance of rest limits and full payment for overtime and extra work. The 8-hour workday is not abolished, nor is the salary reduced for those who choose a four-day work week, while safety and protection of workers in the workplace is enhanced.

I remain in the field of employment, and as almost every week, so today we have reason to refer to another DYPA initiative. This time, it concerns the critical field of health with the creation of 500 full-time stretcher-bearer positions, for a period of 12 months. This action, with a budget of €9.6 million, targets long-term unemployed with low specialization, many of whom are over 50 years old, and the gross monthly earnings reach €1,050. By June 30, 364 hires had taken place, 21 of them at “Evangelismos”. This is a valuable reinforcement of hospital human resources that will help reduce delays in patient transport and ease the burden on emergency departments.

I continue with the joint postgraduate programs between major Greek universities and distinguished foreign universities that were approved by the National Authority for Higher Education. 132 proposals were submitted and evaluated, 74 received the “green light”, with funding totaling €94 million. To give some examples: NKUA, Aristotle University, NTUA, the Universities of Ioannina and Western Macedonia will offer postgraduate programs in collaboration with Yale, Harvard, Boston University, Columbia University, the University of Heidelberg, and Imperial College London. These new programs strengthen the international orientation of Greek universities, adopt good international practices, and give students the opportunity to explore innovative scientific fields.

Along with the international outreach of universities, we also take care of something equally critical: easing the housing costs for our students. From 30/6 to 31/7, all eligible students can submit their application on the platform stegastiko.minedu.gov.gr to receive financial support from €1,500 to €2,500 per year, depending on the university they attend and whether they live with others or not. It’s worth remembering that until 2019, the student allowance was €1,000, with a total annual expenditure of €51 million. Today, the expenditure amounts to €81.5 million, an increase of about 60%. This is social policy in practice.

But we don’t stop at benefits. At the same time, the ambitious program for upgrading and renovating existing student residences, as well as creating new, modern ones, in collaboration between the public and private sectors, is moving forward. Upon completion of the planning, thousands of safe and affordable student housing units will have been created, from Alexandroupoli and Ptolemaida to Kalamata and Rethymno, all integrated into public universities. Thus, every student will be able to study away from home, without housing becoming a burden for their family.

In Lefkada and Samos, the presentation of the National Strategy for Regional and Local Development continued. We emphasize projects that improve residents’ daily lives, as well as visitors’ experience: water adequacy, waste management, better road and sea connections, and tourism development with respect for the natural environment. I’ll mention a few examples: the emblematic water supply project Lefkada-Preveza-Arta from the springs of Agios Georgios Louros is progressing, while the Vonitsa-Lefkada road axis is almost ready. In Samos, the restoration of the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in Karlovasi is proceeding, and we have secured funds for rational waste management in Samos and Ikaria. Especially for our islands, we can now utilize significant resources from the Islands Decarbonization Fund to finance projects for the electric interconnection of islands, as well as actions for the installation of photovoltaic systems for self-consumption by households, farmers, and businesses.

Also important for regional development is the decision to boost with an additional €148 million 177 investment plans in the agri-food sector, primary production, processing, fishing, and aquaculture. The decision was published Thursday by the Ministry of Development and concerns the special regime of the 2022 Development Law. Most investments are made, with additional scoring, in the Region of Thessaly due to the damages from storm Daniel, while Central Macedonia gathers the highest amount of investments, with almost 30% of the total support.

I continue with the Internal Affairs Service of the Hellenic Police, which is proving to be highly effective. From October to today, in cooperation with the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, it handled 243 cases, 87 of which involved the dismantling of criminal organizations. In total, 1,580 arrests were made, 427 of which concerned public employees. These successes are not coincidental. They are the result of methodical work and organization that has been steadily built over the past 6 years. The most recent success of the Internal Affairs Service is the dismantling of a ring at the Customs Office of Mavromati, Thesprotia, with 13 of the 14 employees arrested for extortion, bribery, and taking bribes.

The fight against lawlessness, at all levels, requires perseverance, cooperation, planning, and, perhaps above all, political will. A characteristic example is the change that has begun to take place in football and basketball stadiums, after the decisive implementation of a modern and holistic framework for the prevention and suppression of sports violence. Since February 2024, we have been implementing a set of interventions that addresses violence in stadiums not piecemeal, but at its root, recognizing that it is not just a matter for one ministry, nor can it be solved by repression alone. In a year and a half, almost 1,750,000 digital tickets were issued, with digital identification at entry now the norm. More than 2,500 modern cameras are directly connected to the Hellenic Police, allowing immediate identification and arrest of any delinquent fan within stadiums—already 604 arrests have been made. At the same time, automated administrative sanctions are being applied. Incidents mean immediate fines or empty stands, without delays. Thus, we had 109 matches behind closed doors, and approximately €1.4 million in financial penalties were imposed by DEAV on teams and individuals. And of course, stricter but fairer criminal penalties, along with the classification of the offense of sports violence as a “special felony,” meaning without mitigation, suspension, or sentence conversion. The implementation of the measures so far shows that our interventions have been effective. But we still have a way to go. That’s why we continue with new, stricter, automated administrative penalties for “incitement/encouragement by action” of incidents on playing fields, as well as a new digital platform that will record private individuals banned from sports venues due to inappropriate behavior. It is important that UEFA sent a congratulatory letter for the now safe conduct of matches, which allows every fan, every family with children to be able to attend and watch the sport and the team they love in safety. But we primarily owe this to the young people who lost their lives due to fan violence. To Alkis Kampanos, to Michalis Katsouris, and to Giorgos Lyggeridis.

Something different was implemented yesterday in Athens: public transport – that is, Metro, buses, trams, and trolleys – operated 24 hours on a pilot basis, aiming to ensure the safe return home of those who went out to enjoy themselves. The largest number of serious traffic accidents occurs in the early morning hours, especially on Saturdays. We thank the workers who “shouldered the effort.” Experts will study the data – whether, on which means of transport, how many, and when people used them – in order to draw their conclusions. If it proves that the measure works, rest assured that we will establish it on a permanent basis starting in September.

In closing, I would like to share some thoughts from Mount Athos, a place of special significance for every Greek and for me personally. Here, in the calm, the reverence, and the simplicity, one rediscovers something precious: the time to think clearly, to reflect, to see what has been achieved and, above all, what must continue. Mount Athos is not only a place of faith and prayer. It is also a living beacon of stability, a symbol of spiritual continuity in a world that is changing rapidly and often turbulently.

Thank you for taking the time for this review. Have a good day.