Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated during his meeting with Kostas Tasoulas, on the occasion of significant agreements centered on energy, that:

“I believe that what has taken place over the course of three weeks demonstrates in the most practical way that our country, from being a peripheral player in energy matters, is now becoming a protagonist.”

He explained that Greece is, on the one hand, becoming a gateway for American natural gas to the European continent, with a final destination even as far as Ukraine, and on the other hand, launching major initiatives to explore natural gas deposits in the country. This process had been discussed for decades, but for the first time in 40 years, exploratory drilling will take place within the next 18 months in maritime blocks east of Corfu.

As Mr Mitsotakis noted, this is a very significant development that strengthens the country geopolitically and energetically and proves that the government’s policy of upgrading Greece’s position has now delivered concrete and tangible results. These results will not only reinforce national security but will also lead to increased investments, expansion of alternative energy sources and, if extraction proves successful, a very substantial boost to public finances over the coming decades.

“Consequently, I believe these developments concern not only our government. They concern our country as a whole. Citizens understand their importance, especially in an environment of major geopolitical reshuffling and turbulence, where our country is being upgraded and becoming – at least in the crucial field of energy – not a follower, but a protagonist,” he emphasized.

Support measures for citizens

Mr Mitsotakis also referred to measures supporting citizens:

“The first priority of our government is to protect the income of Greek citizens against persistent inflation. Inflation is not only a Greek phenomenon; it is global. However, we are now in a position to support Greek society in practice, while many other European countries are forced to adopt austerity measures.”

Thanks to strong public finances, the government is implementing a support program. As of today, the €250 regular support payment is being granted to low-income pensioners, and by the end of the week it will also be paid to beneficiaries of OPEKA allowances.

By the end of the week, tenants will see one full month’s rent refunded to their accounts, a significant contribution to tackling the housing crisis.

From the beginning of next year, a major tax reform already legislated, totaling €1.76 billion, will come into force. This will result in tangible salary increases on tax statements. The more children a family has, the greater the salary increase. Young people up to the age of 25 will no longer pay income tax. Furthermore, over 12,000 villages and settlements will no longer pay ENFIA property tax, providing substantial relief to the regions.

He also noted that government teams are already in Epirus assessing damage from the severe recent rainfall, and cooperation with local authorities will ensure rapid restoration of affected areas.

Statement by Kostas Tasoulas

Kostas Tasoulas thanked the Prime Minister for his briefing and highlighted the severe damage in Epirus, particularly in the Tzoumerka region, expressing confidence that government intervention would lead to swift restoration and a return to normalcy.

He stressed that the two major issues raised — improving daily life and Greece’s geopolitical upgrade through energy solutions — are deeply interconnected. Greece’s role as a corridor for American natural gas to Central and Eastern Europe and the exploration of hydrocarbons in the Ionian Sea will ultimately result in more abundant and cheaper energy for Greek consumers.

He underlined that Greece is stabilising as an energy provider for Europe, especially in light of the EU’s decision to stop Russian energy imports by 2028. This role gives the country not only economic and commercial importance but also significant geopolitical weight.

“A country that is an energy provider becomes a provider of sovereignty as well. It is a country that others pay attention to, protect, and cannot easily destabilise, because its destabilisation would disrupt Europe’s energy balance.”

He concluded by stating that all these developments strengthen Greece’s strategic position and that the country, regardless of the government in power, will benefit substantially in the years ahead.