Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has sent a thinly veiled message to Turkey following the resumption of negotiations between Greece and Egypt on the delimitation of their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), stressing that Athens will respond to legally unfounded territorial claims through strong alliances and binding international agreements.

“In the face of revisionist claims by our neighbours that have no basis in international law, we respond with strong alliances in the Arab world, dialogue and legally binding agreements that safeguard our national interests,” Mitsotakis said, without explicitly naming Turkey.

In his weekly Sunday review, the prime minister also issued a clear warning that tax evasion investigations would continue, with authorities targeting the “big fish”, while leaving open the possibility of government support for employees of Pizza Fan, the restaurant chain caught up in a major tax fraud investigation.

Mitsotakis also described the agreement concerning St Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai as being of “historic significance”, stressing that, for the first time, a specific legally binding document guarantees the monastery’s religious character and monastic way of life, as well as the brotherhood’s exclusive use and possession of its places of worship.

The agreement, he explained, resolves “a 1,500-year-old institutional issue that had left the very existence of the Holy Monastery vulnerable”.

The prime minister also criticised PASOK over its decision to abstain in the vote on the general principles of legislation restricting access to social media for children under 15, while voting against individual provisions.

“I find it difficult to understand this choice, particularly from a party that aspires to occupy the space of responsible opposition,” Mitsotakis said, questioning the motives behind the party’s position.

“The need to distance itself from the government appears to have prevailed over the opportunity for us to do something useful for families together,” he added.

Finally, Mitsotakis announced that he would travel to Thessaloniki on Wednesday, 28 October, to attend the military parade marking Greece’s national Ohi Day anniversary.

Read the Greek PM’s full Sunday address

Good morning, everyone.

I begin with a development of historic significance: the agreement between St Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai and Egypt, which provides a secure legal foundation for the continued existence of a living Orthodox pilgrimage site with a history spanning fifteen centuries. For the first time, a specific, legally binding document permanently safeguards the monastery’s religious character and monastic way of life, as well as the brotherhood’s exclusive use and possession of its places of worship, under Egypt’s guarantee and without any possibility of altering those sacred spaces.

The agreement thus resolves a 1,500-year-old institutional issue that had left the very existence of the Holy Monastery vulnerable. The Greek government supported this effort with persistence and discretion, working in cooperation with our friend Egypt and with respect for the monastery’s autonomy. Of particular importance is the consent of the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Jerusalem, and the Archbishops of Athens and Cyprus: a powerful message of unity and responsibility from the Greek Orthodox world.

I would like to congratulate both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs for the persistence and meticulous work that led to this national success. I also wish to personally thank the Foreign Minister for coordinating the entire effort, as well as Archbishop Symeon, whom I contacted personally to express the support of the Greek people for the monastery’s decisions, for his substantial contribution to bringing it to a successful conclusion.

There are legacies that transcend the horizon of any government or generation. Our duty is to pass them on securely to those who come after us.

This important development comes in the same week that Greece and Egypt resumed negotiations on the delimitation of the remaining section of our Exclusive Economic Zone, following the agreement signed by our government in 2020. These two developments confirm the depth of a relationship built on trust, delivering tangible results for our country.

In the face of revisionist claims by our neighbours that have no basis in international law, we respond with strong alliances in the Arab world, dialogue and legally binding agreements that safeguard our national interests.

This policy requires patience, preparation and consistency. Its results provide the most meaningful response both to critics at home and to those beyond our borders who seek to impose faits accomplis that are nevertheless rejected by the entire international community, our partners and our allies.

This is the only way Greece becomes stronger: by translating its rightful claims into agreements and its relationships into lasting partnerships.

There are weeks when different news stories confront us with the same question: whether we can build a society in which rules protect people and power does not guarantee special treatment. This responsibility connects three developments of recent days that I want to address before moving on to this week’s review.

On Thursday, Parliament approved a minimum age of 15 for access to social media. This is a step we owe to children and to parents who are deeply concerned, often feeling that they are fighting an unequal battle on their own.

I would have expected more political parties to find common ground on this issue. Unfortunately, the legislation was passed solely with the votes of New Democracy.

PASOK chose to abstain on the legislation in principle and voted against its key provisions. I find it difficult to understand this choice, particularly from a party that aspires to occupy the space of responsible opposition.

When 80% of citizens support restrictions and an age limit to protect minors, it is worth asking why this broad public consensus is not reflected in Parliament.

The need to distance itself from the government appears to have prevailed over the opportunity for us to do something useful for families together.

Yet every delay prolongs a situation that suits the major platforms. Children and parents need protection now. Politics must be capable of finding common ground, particularly when something as important as childhood is at stake.

The same responsibility towards the common good also applies to the fight to uphold the law.

This week, we witnessed the arrests of the president of the Hellenic Basketball Federation and referees as part of an investigation into bribery and match-fixing. We also saw arrests in the case involving a well-known restaurant chain, over an alleged organised scheme involving large-scale tax evasion.

These are serious cases on which the courts will rule, with full respect for the presumption of innocence.

However, I want to recall something I said at the Thessaloniki International Fair in September 2023, when I made the rule of law a central mission of this government’s term in office: when the state leaves holes in its enforcement net through which the “big fish” can escape, other citizens feel they are being treated unfairly.

And that injustice gradually erodes trust in the state and its institutions.

I also said something else at the time: “We counter injustice with equality before the law.”

That commitment remains in place.

Tax evasion deprives healthcare, education and support for those in need of vital resources, while also placing law-abiding businesses at a disadvantage through unfair competition.

Our target, therefore, is the “big fish”. This case is neither the first nor, of course, will it be the last.

As for corruption in sport, it primarily undermines the efforts of athletes and children’s belief that hard work and talent are rewarded fairly.

Our government will not tolerate it.

No arrest amounts to a conviction. However, an unhindered investigation, even when it concerns individuals with financial or institutional power, is an essential requirement for a state that seeks to earn the trust of its citizens.

Our responsibility is to strengthen oversight and enforcement mechanisms and ensure that they can do their work without exceptions.

And, of course, if necessary, the state will take whatever measures are required to support workers affected by these developments.

I know that trust is difficult to build. It requires consistency and results, every single day.

From protecting a child against the digital giants to enforcing the law against those who believe they are above scrutiny.

That is how the usefulness of politics is judged. And that is the standard by which we will continue.

I now turn to the other developments of the week:

1. We inaugurated the new national supercomputer, “DAEDALUS”, at the Greek AI Factory “PHAROS” in Lavrio.

To give you an idea of its capabilities, it performs 89 quadrillion calculations per second. A human being would need almost three billion years to complete the same number!

It is one of the EU’s seven national supercomputers and places Greece among the world’s top 14 countries in the global rankings, while also putting it at the forefront of Europe’s efforts to harness artificial intelligence for researchers and businesses.

Hosting it in our country was something we actively pursued and for which we convinced the European Commission.

2. At the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, we inaugurated the new building of the Institute of Informatics and Telecommunications, equipped with modern facilities for research into artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and next-generation networks.

The building houses the Demokritos data centre, which will soon also serve DAEDALUS, as well as the offices of PHAROS.

An eighth institute is also being established at Demokritos, dedicated to Research Integrity, Safety and Ethics.

3. A new collective labour agreement has been signed in the cement industry, providing annual wage increases of more than 5.5%, a 55% seniority-related pay supplement, a €600 allowance for the third and each subsequent child, and a student allowance of up to €400.

This is the 161st collective labour agreement signed since Parliament approved the National Social Agreement on Collective Labour Agreements between the Ministry of Labour and all national social partners.

More pay rises, more benefits and better working conditions: this is the practical value of collective labour agreements.

4. Tourism continues to deliver impressive results, with foreign visitor arrivals rising by 10% in the first eight months of the year and tourism receipts increasing by 9.4% to €18.2 billion.

During the same period, goods exports rose by 17.3%, almost twice the rate of increase in imports.

5. The final plans for the expansion and upgrading of the National Archaeological Museum have been approved.

The project includes new exhibition spaces, modern visitor facilities and a large public garden with approximately 250 new trees.

This will transform not only the country’s largest archaeological museum but also an entire section of Patission Street.

These were some of the most important developments of the past week. We now move into a new week that holds special significance for Thessaloniki and for the entire country.

Tomorrow, the city celebrates its patron saint, St Demetrios, as well as the 114th anniversary of its liberation, while on Wednesday I will be there for the 28 October parade.

These two anniversaries remind us of what we have achieved as a people during the most difficult moments of our history, and of the strength we possess when we stand united.

We should not forget this in our everyday lives, even when we disagree.

Happy name day to all the Dimitras and Dimitrises celebrating tomorrow, and, of course, best wishes to all Greek women and men on our national anniversary!

Have a good Sunday!