Accompanied by a series of ministers and deputy ministers and with a very broad agenda of issues, Kyriakos Mitsotakis is going up to Thessaloniki this morning, one week before the “curtain” of the TIF, in order to have the customary contacts with social and productive bodies, but also to speak at an event about the major infrastructure projects unfolding in Northern Greece. In fact, ahead of today’s visit, Mr. Mitsotakis had a meeting days ago with officials of the Ministry of Infrastructure, as under scrutiny are the extension of the metro to Kalamaria, the completion of works for the Flyover, the Suburban Railway of Western Thessaloniki and others.

Mr. Mitsotakis wants to send the message that Northern Greece is for the first time so strongly on the radar of a government, as a series of critical projects are being set in motion. He has, of course, to contend with the disappointment of many citizens in working-class areas of Thessaloniki and beyond, mainly due to the increased cost of living, but also the penetration of parties further to the right of the political map in areas where ND traditionally held strength. This refers to Kyriakos Velopoulos’ Hellenic Solution, which came to be the second party by a handful of votes in municipalities of Thessaloniki, to NIKI, but also to the Voice of Logic of Thessaloniki native Afroditi Latinopoulou.

Mini cabinet at the Megaro
All the contacts and statements of the prime minister will take place at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, as the idea was abandoned that the meetings with the bodies be held at the Administration Building, as was customary. The beginning will be at 10:00 with the meeting with the “blue” MPs of A’ and B’ Thessaloniki, while some MPs of the State list will also participate. Mr. Mitsotakis will also have a meeting with rectors, ahead of the implementation of the new, stricter framework for safety and “eternal students” at the country’s universities, while after 11:30 he will speak at the event organized at the Concert Hall. Immediately afterwards the appointments with the productive and scientific bodies of Northern Greece will follow.

Already since yesterday, Vice President of the Government Kostis Hatzidakis has been in Thessaloniki, who together with Minister of Interior Theodoros Livanios met with mayors of Northern Greece. Also present are Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis and his deputy Nikos Papathanasis, Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis, Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki, Labour Minister Niki Kerameos, Infrastructure Minister Christos Dimas and Deputy Minister of Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis, Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and Deputy Minister of Sports Giannis Vroutsis. From deputy ministers, present are Nikos Tagaras (Environment), Lazaros Tsavdaridis (Development), Stavros Kalafatis (Research and Innovation), Kostas Gioulekas (Macedonia-Thrace), Nikos Tachiaos (Infrastructure).

Mr. Mitsotakis is also accompanied by a series of Maximos Mansion officials, such as Akis Skertsos, Giorgos Mylonakis, Thanasis Kontogeorgis, Giorgos Efthymiou, Michalis Bekiris who also has responsibility for the prime minister’s office in Thessaloniki, Giorgos Efthymiou, while since the day before yesterday in the co-capital are Mr. Mitsotakis’ party advisor Thanasis Nezis, ND Secretary Kostas Skrekas, Director General Giannis Smyrlis and Press Representative Alexandra Sdoukou, together with the President of the Administrative Committee Zisis Ioakeimovits.

Tours and events
Already the program of tours that will start from next Monday until Friday by “blue teams” has unfolded, covering all the prefectures of Northern Greece. Special emphasis will be given to Thessaloniki, where on September 4 and 5 teams will tour with Adonis Georgiadis, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Konstantinos Kyranakis and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense Antonis Oikonomou in A’ Thessaloniki and with Nikos Dendias, Giorgos Kotsiras and Secretary General of Information Systems Demosthenis Anagnostopoulos in B’ Thessaloniki. For the days before the TIF, two party events of ND have also been scheduled, while Mr. Mitsotakis will go up again to Thessaloniki on September 5. Competent sources report that the basic canvas of his speech has been locked in, as well as the package of measures that will be announced at the Vellideio.