“I couldn’t say no to Kyriakos Mitsotakis a second time. If I did, I would be a cowardly little man.” With this personal confession, Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis explains to Giorgos Evgenidis and to “Direct” of protothema.gr his decision to take on an executive role at the Maximos Mansion. As he says, “I joined the Maximos Mansion for more effective coordination”, aiming “for the good players to become a good team.”

Mr. Hatzidakis, who describes himself as a “man for special missions,” emphasized that, during this difficult phase for the government, taking responsibility was, for him, a matter of “patriotic duty.”

Referring to the issue of the railways, he revealed that a “bold bill for OSE” (the Hellenic Railways Organization) is coming soon, modeled after the restructuring of the Public Power Corporation (ΔΕΗ). As he said, the goal is the rapid upgrade and maintenance of the network, the adoption of European proposals, and the recruitment of executives from the private sector, despite the expected criticism: “Between being accused of hiring golden boys and being accused of failure, I prefer the first.” Regarding the tragic accident in Tempi, the Deputy Prime Minister stressed that responsibility must be attributed “in its true dimension.”

Kostis Hatzidakis highlighted the need for realism at a time when the country is at risk from the secondary effects of a new international crisis. “No one is in a protective bubble. It’s an advantage that we now have a government that doesn’t promise money trees,” he remarked. At the same time, he announced a social dividend for 2025 and 2026, on the condition of prudent management and a reduction in tax evasion.