Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking at a conference on demographic issues, congratulated Olympiacos and reiterated the government’s intention to continue supporting young families. He also left open the possibility of a new phase of the “Spiti Mou” housing program, directly linking the housing issue with Greece’s demographic challenge and the difficulties faced by young couples.

He first extended “warm congratulations to Olympiacos,” saying the Piraeus team “was the best throughout the season, even if it gave us a scare in the final minutes.”

“We took a risk by bringing the event to Athens; we funded this investment, which was combined with an excellent organisation of the basketball celebration. It is very positive that it coincided with the triumph of a Greek team. I wish for more young players in our teams. Regardless of team or fan preferences, healthy supporters are happy when a Greek team wins the trophy,” he said.

Sending a clear message on continued support for young families, the prime minister stressed that the government will continue to intervene “as far as possible” with both financial and social measures to address low birth rates.

“We will continue to intervene as far as possible so that we can support young families through financial and other measures,” he said.

Mitsotakis also reminded that, within the budget’s capacity, part of the large surplus generated by the Greek economy in 2025 will be returned to families with children as a one-off financial aid.

Specifically, he said that within the next month a €150 emergency allowance per child will be paid, in addition to the existing child benefit, which he described as one of the government’s “flagship interventions” for supporting families.

He stressed that addressing the demographic problem is a national priority and requires a combination of policies, not only financial incentives but also housing, employment, and broader support for young parents.

Regarding the “Spiti Mou” housing programme, he left open the possibility of a new phase, saying: “There may be financial capacity to implement another similar programme. I am not ready to announce it yet, but we are working in that direction.”

At the same time, he emphasised the need to increase housing supply, noting that the government is considering stronger incentives to bring “closed” apartments back into the market.

“We need to be bolder in providing incentives so that closed apartments are opened up. Only by increasing supply will rent increases slow down so that the market can reach a more balanced level,” he said.

He added that the government is already implementing more than 40 housing-related initiatives aimed at supporting young people, families, and access to affordable housing.

Brain regain

The prime minister also referred to the “brain regain” trend, noting a clear return of Greeks who had previously left the country for better job opportunities abroad.

He said large companies are now actively seeking Greek professionals abroad as more people show interest in returning home.

“All major companies are now going abroad to look for strong CVs, because Greeks want to return to their country,” he said.

He stressed that this return is not only due to tax incentives but also to the changing image of Greece and improved prospects for stable employment and quality of life.

“They want to return not only because of incentives. Despite remaining difficulties, they are coming back primarily because they believe in the country’s long-term prospects and in finding good jobs that allow them to support their families,” he noted.

He added, in a pointed remark, that this trend is an answer to critics of Greece’s progress:

“This is the best answer to those who, in their imagination, still see a Greece belonging to a past decade.”

Migration and demographics

Asked whether there are European models Greece can follow to address the demographic crisis, he said: “I am afraid there is no country in Europe that has addressed the problem at its root.”

On migration, he reiterated the government’s strict stance against irregular arrivals, stressing that entry into the country cannot be controlled by smuggling networks.

“No one will enter the country illegally. Smugglers will not decide who enters Greece,” he said.

He emphasised the model of organised, legal migration through bilateral agreements tailored to labour market needs.

He mentioned possible cooperation with countries such as Egypt for agricultural workers and India for construction workers to address labour shortages in key sectors.

“If we decide to bring farm workers from Egypt or construction workers from India, we will do so through agreements with those countries, to meet our needs with central control, in cooperation with the private sector and with greater flexibility in recruitment procedures,” he said.

He concluded that strict control of illegal migration allows Greece to pursue a more structured legal migration policy aligned with economic needs.