The Greek government’s solidarity with the Spanish people following yesterday’s tragic train accident was expressed by Government Spokesman Pavlos Marinakis at the start of the briefing for political editors.

“Sincere condolences to the families of the victims and our warmest wishes for a swift recovery to those who were injured. Our thoughts are with them,” he said.

Turning to the main briefing, Mr. Marinakis highlighted the progress of the out-of-court debt settlement mechanism. From its introduction in 2022 through the end of 2025, a total of 50,710 successful settlements were completed, corresponding to initial debts of €15.7 billion.

He noted that the fourth year of implementation saw a dramatic increase in settlements compared to previous years, largely due to the legislative intervention in April 2025, which expanded income eligibility criteria and made creditor participation mandatory.

In total, 21,680 successful debt restructurings were achieved in 2025, compared to just 2,706 in 2022, the first year of operation—an increase of more than 700%. Today, this volume is approaching monthly levels of adjustment.

“The out-of-court mechanism is a crucial tool, both for easing the financial burden on debtors and supporting vulnerable citizens, as well as for reducing private debt overall,” he stressed.

Mr. Marinakis also referred to energy prices, noting that household electricity prices in Greece were below the European Union average in the second quarter of 2025. Specifically, the retail price stood at €232.6 per megawatt hour, compared to the EU average of €246 per megawatt hour.

According to European Commission data, Greece ranked 19th among EU member states for household electricity tariffs, with lower prices than countries such as Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, Poland, Portugal, and Spain.

In addition, citing the latest Eurostat data, he stated that in 2024 renewable energy sources accounted for 47.5% of gross electricity consumption across the EU. Greece ranked among the top ten member states, with renewables accounting for 51.2% of its electricity consumption.

On employment, Mr. Marinakis said that Greece recorded the largest increase in the employment rate among OECD countries in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. This improvement was driven by falling unemployment and increased labor force participation.

In the 15–64 age group, the employment rate reached 64.6% in the third quarter of 2025, marking a 1.4 percentage-point increase year-on-year and the highest employment rate ever recorded in Greece.

He also announced that the four contracts related to hydrocarbon exploration tenders awarded to the Chevron–Helleniq Energy consortium have been approved by the Court of Auditors and will now be submitted to Parliament for ratification. The process is progressing according to schedule, with the aim of beginning geophysical and seismic surveys in 2026.

Furthermore, he said that a draft bill titled “National Social Agreement for the Strengthening of Collective Labour Agreements,” prepared by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, has been opened for public consultation until January 28.

The bill’s main provisions include:

1. Facilitating the extension of collective labor agreements
2. Strengthening worker protection following the expiration of collective agreements
3. Accelerating procedures in cases of disputes between employers and employees

“In practical terms, this will lead to more collective agreements and easier extensions, paving the way for wage and benefit increases,” he said.

Mr. Marinakis concluded by announcing the establishment of a Crisis Management Team composed of specialized personnel from the Civil Aviation Authority and OTE. Its mission is to implement the recommendations of the Investigation Committee regarding the incident that occurred in the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) on January 4.

The initiative aims to ensure improved oversight and faster responses to technical issues in air navigation systems. At the same time, Contract 69/2025, signed in October 2025 for the supply of VHF transponders, will enhance telemetry capabilities at telecommunications stations. According to the schedule, the first systems are expected to be delivered in February 2026.

Installations will initially focus on remote telecommunications stations, strengthening the resilience of the FIR communications system against similar incidents.

Finally, he announced that tomorrow, Tuesday, January 20, at 10:00 a.m., the Prime Minister will meet with the President of the Republic as part of their regular monthly briefing.