If the war continues, we will also see impacts on the Greek economy, says Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who categorically rejects early elections and a cabinet reshuffle.

Mr. Mitsotakis, explaining why he rejects suggestions for early elections, points out that political stability is a comparative advantage for the country.

“I will not lead the country to early elections, risking this argument which shows that this government can make decisions quickly and act for the benefit of citizens. My goal is to complete the electoral cycle,” the prime minister states in an interview with iefimerida.

At the same time, he also rules out a cabinet reshuffle:
“In such a period we have a lot of work and a government structure that is working satisfactorily,” he notes.

Speaking about the conflict in Iran, he emphasizes that if it continues with effects on the flow of oil and natural gas, there will be consequences for both the European and the Greek economy.
“We must be ready for all scenarios,” he warns.

Regarding possible additional measures, the prime minister stresses:
“We never reveal all our interventions from the first moment,” and that “we also have other support measures in mind.”

He recalls that his government supported society during both the COVID pandemic and the energy crisis, but notes that we must see how the situation develops.

Asked about Greece’s response in Cyprus with frigates, he notes that the immediate priority was the security of the country and the protection of Cyprus.

“We sent a clear message that Cyprus should not feel alone and we mobilized other European countries — and we would have supported it even on our own.”

At the same time, he emphasizes that Greeks invested their savings in the country’s deterrent capability.
“We feel satisfaction and pride when our Armed Forces, at a critical moment, can rise to the occasion,” says Mitsotakis, adding meaningfully:

“From the moment the order was given, the Minister of Defense made the recommendation, I accepted it, it was discussed by circulation in the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense, and within five hours the ships had departed and the aircraft were in Cyprus the same day. What would have happened if we had a coalition government and I had to coordinate with other political leaders about whether we would send frigates to Cyprus or not?”

Read the full interview of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with iefimerida and Sophia Giannaka

Sophia Giannaka: Good morning, Mr. President.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Good morning, Ms. Giannaka.

Sophia Giannaka: Thank you very much for welcoming us here, at the Maximos Mansion, for this conversation at a very difficult and critical moment with developments in the Middle East. How serious are things?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Ms. Giannaka, we are facing an extensive regional conflict which, unfortunately, has also reached the doorstep of the European Union and which is currently fully unfolding. It affects the global economy, it affects oil prices, and it may create significant inflationary pressures.

Therefore, I cannot underestimate the scale of the crisis we are facing and the need to always rise to the occasion — whether it is to secure our country and Hellenism as a whole, to protect our sailors who are in the war zone, to carry out evacuation operations for Greeks who are still in Gulf countries that are being tested, or of course to deal with the short-term and medium-term impacts this crisis will have on the Greek economy.

Sophia Giannaka: “Prepare for the unthinkable,” the head of the IMF said recently. So the situation, especially regarding the economic consequences as you said, is very serious.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Things may indeed become very serious if this war continues for a long time.
20% of the world’s oil and 20% of liquefied natural gas pass through the Strait of Hormuz. So you understand that if this conflict continues and if there are significant effects on the physical flow of oil and natural gas, this will have chain reactions with very significant impacts on the global economy.

And, obviously, no economy can be or feel completely fortified. There will obviously be consequences for the European and the Greek economy as well, and we must be ready for all possible scenarios.

However, Ms. Giannaka, our immediate priority in recent days has been the security of the country and the protection of Cyprus. I attach very great symbolic but also practical importance to our quick decision to be the first in Cyprus with an air-naval force in order to support Cypriot Hellenism.

In this way we sent a clear message that Cyprus must never feel alone. But we also mobilized other European countries. The result is that today a significant European force is in Cyprus, securing Cyprus as European territory. This is an important European achievement.

I would say that it is essentially a practical implementation of the defense clause provided in the European treaties, which was tested in practice and which, at the initiative of Greece and subsequently France, was implemented through the significant European presence that exists in Cyprus today.

And something else that I think is important: Greek citizens invested their sacrifices in the deterrent capability of the country. I think we all feel a sense of satisfaction and pride when we see that our Armed Forces, at a critical moment, can rise to the occasion, respond, cover the needs of Cyprus, and cover the needs of Bulgaria. The Minister of Defense is today in Bulgaria, which asked us for help in the event that it is also struck by ballistic missiles from Iran.

This certainly upgrades the country’s overall position, but I think it also sends a message to Greek society that all these sacrifices were not wasted, that today we have strong Armed Forces which, in a crisis, can rise to the occasion.

Sophia Giannaka: It was truly a historic move that you made in Cyprus — I will return to that shortly. Let me stay with the intervention in Iran, Mr. President, and say that European leaders are coming out daily and distancing themselves from the developments. I heard the Italian Prime Minister, Ms. Meloni, yesterday saying that it is an intervention that goes against the rules of international law. You have never said this during these days. Some in the opposition have even criticized you, saying that you are aligning too closely, that you are not Sánchez, as some on the left said. Mr. Tsipras even said…

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Fortunately, I would say.

Sophia Giannaka: Fortunately that you are not Sánchez. Mr. Tsipras even said that you are obvious (predictable) for President Trump and things like that. How do you comment on that and tell me whether your stance toward the intervention in Iran has changed.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Greece is a force for peace and our presence in the region has purely defensive characteristics. And at this moment Greece’s position is absolutely clear: this war must end as soon as possible.

I think that all European powers align along this line. The continuation of the war right now will have negative consequences for the global economy, and I also do not believe that any problem in the Middle East will ultimately be solved through a prolonged military conflict.

Greece has also clearly opposed Israel’s ground operation in southern Lebanon. Israel is our strategic ally. That does not prevent us from expressing our opinion and clearly stating our position regarding the possibility of a second front of instability being created in Lebanon — a country that Greece supports both politically and militarily, so that Lebanon itself can assert authority over Hezbollah and so that Israel does not need to use Hezbollah and the weakness of the Lebanese government as a pretext to intervene in southern Lebanon.

Therefore, the position of the Greek government is absolutely clear, and right now we are all striving and working to find a way for this war to end as soon as possible.

On the other hand, all those who criticize us from the left presumably agree with the basic assumption that Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons, that Iran cannot be a permanent threat to the wider region through an extensive program of offensive — I stress, offensive — ballistic missiles, as well as through various organizations that essentially act as Iran’s “long arm” in the region.

When the Houthis were bombing and attacking Greek ships that were crossing the Red Sea, I do not remember all these “sensitive” people condemning those actions.

So we are dealing with a regional power of instability, a theocratic regime that has essentially imposed a harsh dictatorship on its own citizens. I do not believe that I have any particular inclination to align myself with or express any special sympathy for that regime.

On the other hand, I repeat: this war must end as soon as possible, Ms. Giannaka, and free navigation must be restored as soon as possible — something that particularly concerns us as a maritime power — in the Strait of Hormuz. That is the priority today.

If a global economic crisis arises from this, then that is where our attention must turn.

Sophia Giannaka: Meanwhile, Greeks are also experiencing strong concern — this is evident in surveys, Mr. President — about developments in the Middle East. They are also worried about the economic consequences, about their wallets, about our wallets.

You already took some initial measures yesterday and announced them — the price cap. I do not know whether they are enough. Gasoline, from what I see, has already reached 2 euros.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Ms. Giannaka, we have managed many crises in the past and I think we have accumulated experience in being able to respond quickly but also in a measured and targeted way, always keeping in mind that this crisis may last and that we may need to take additional measures. Therefore, we never reveal the full range of our interventions from the very beginning.

What did we consider necessary to do now — and we were among the first European countries to do it? To avoid profiteering. That is why we imposed a cap on profit margins on important supermarket products but also across the entire distribution network for gasoline, diesel fuel, and heating oil, in order to avoid speculation.

Obviously, we cannot intervene directly in the price of oil. That is determined by international developments. However, we can deal with such phenomena which we have seen in the past, and that is why we are introducing this extraordinary temporary measure as a first — I stress, as a first — intervention to restrain potential “players” who may be tempted to profit from this crisis.

This does not mean that we do not have other support measures for society in mind. We have supported society many times before — I remind you — during COVID and during the energy crisis. We simply must first see how the situation develops.

My hope — not necessarily my expectation, but my hope — is that these military operations will end quickly, so that if we see a de-escalation in the price of oil, obviously we will not need to take any additional emergency measures.

Sophia Giannaka: Still, you have a Plan B — that is, some funds. “Are the funds available?” I would like to ask, because I imagine you also have an election package for the Thessaloniki International Fair that you may be preparing, Mr. President. So are there funds for possible measures to relieve citizens if problems arise?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: First of all, we must know, Ms. Giannaka, that in such cases there is always a national response, and there may also be a European response. In the past, for example during COVID, there was a very significant European intervention that gave all of us major fiscal and economic breathing space through the Recovery Fund.

I do not expect something similar to happen, but I want to assure you that when our economy is doing well and when public finances are doing well, we naturally have greater resilience than if our economy were not doing well.

On the other hand, fiscal targets are specific. The margins are also specific, and obviously it is not as if money is simply left over.

If we need to support society, we may have to make some adjustments to our plans for 2026 and 2027. But we are not there yet. We will know much more in a few weeks.

Sophia Giannaka: The moves you made regarding Cyprus and your recent visit with President Macron give the impression that there is, I would say, a change in your stance toward Cyprus. I do not know whether it is a change in doctrine — perhaps sending frigates, sending F-16s, deploying Patriots to Karpathos and Samothrace, and so on. And of course the Europeans following your policy was also a major development. Is there really a change in doctrine regarding Cyprus? You called them “our brothers.”

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Why, are they not? They are our brothers. Hellenism is composed of the Greeks of Greece, the Greeks of Cyprus, and the Greek diaspora.

It would be unthinkable if we were not the first to support Cyprus. And as I said in my statements, even if we had to do it alone, we would have done it alone, because we have this special relationship with Cyprus.

But the great success of our policy was that we did not have to be alone. It was that we explained to our partners — and especially to our French friends, with whom both we and Cyprus have a strategic alliance — that essentially European territory was under threat.

That is why I consider it so important that other countries also rushed to Cyprus — Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom as well, though with some delay I must say, which surprises me given that the United Kingdom also has British territory in Cyprus.

In any case, we demonstrated not only that we have the political will and, I would say, the courage to make this move, but also that we have the operational capability and readiness to do so.

From the moment the order was given, the Minister of Defense called me and made the relevant recommendation. I accepted it, the issue was discussed by circulation in the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense, and five hours later the relevant ships had set sail and the aircraft were in Cyprus the same day. This should make us all feel that we have Armed Forces that are operationally ready to respond to a major difficulty.

And of course, I want to remind you that everything we have achieved in the economy we have achieved while spending significant resources on defense. We must do this. The necessity of investing in national defense is proven by the turbulent times in which we live.

I have said it many times and I repeat it: my first responsibility as Prime Minister is to protect the security of our homeland, but also of Hellenism more broadly. That is why, I believe, the move in Cyprus had this special significance.

Sophia Giannaka: These moves, however, probably gave some rise to the percentages of New Democracy (Greece) in the polls. In the last three surveys this was clearly visible. Are you perhaps considering accepting some suggestions — which we read and hear that you are receiving — for early elections in the autumn?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: I categorically reject them. And I reject any discussion of early elections on the occasion of a recovery in the polls.

Ms. Giannaka, I remember that I was receiving similar suggestions during COVID, and I said then that my goal — and I proved it in practice — is to complete the electoral cycle. And something else: if our main argument today is that political stability is a comparative advantage for the country, how could I lead the country to early elections in the coming months, risking precisely that argument, which indeed shows citizens that this government can make decisions quickly and act for the benefit of Greek citizens?

So any such discussion is so far from the way I think that I will not even, I would say, be tempted to discuss it. I reject it outright.

Sophia Giannaka: However, another decision you made this year — which was credited positively to your government and to you personally — is the Vertical Corridor, which also gives our country another geopolitical edge. But what will ultimately happen? Will the European Union’s ban on Russian natural gas really be maintained so that this project can succeed?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Ms. Giannaka, you now see how important it is for the country to have alternative sources of natural gas supply. Imagine if, for example, at this moment we were buying natural gas from Qatar — we simply would not be able to obtain it.

The European Union has made a strategic decision to free itself from dependence on Russian natural gas. I believe that decision is irreversible. At the same time, Europe has said that we want to buy much more American natural gas.

So our country did the obvious — and I would say it did it first. We have important infrastructure: pipelines and natural gas regasification terminals in Revythousa and Alexandroupoli, and we rushed to give substance to this project of the Vertical Corridor, which essentially elevates our country into a regional energy “player” and provider of energy security for all of southeastern Europe.

Obviously the agreements are commercial agreements, but Greece at this moment has managed to go from being a peripheral “player” in European energy to becoming a central protagonist. Because the gas that will supply Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Moldova, and Ukraine will pass through Greece.

This obviously upgrades Greece very significantly — geopolitically, geostrategically, and geoeconomically — and I think it is a success of the Greek government that it very quickly recognized this change in the global energy map and positioned itself appropriately in order to take advantage of its geographical comparative advantages.

As a complement to this discussion, today as we speak the ratification of the Chevron agreement is taking place in Parliament. Greece, for the first time in recent decades, will have within the next 18 months an active exploratory drilling operation in the Ionian Sea.

The agreement with Chevron has not only significant economic value; it also has very important geopolitical value. Because it essentially recognizes — by Chevron, not by some random “player” — that Greece has sovereign rights south of Crete, rights that it can also exercise in practice.

I say all this because I think that over the last 6.5 years the country’s international position has been substantially upgraded. And I believe this is something that the majority of Greek citizens — whether they support the government or not — recognize. In an extremely turbulent environment, which obviously we cannot shape or decisively influence, they have every reason, despite the insecurity of the times, to feel safer than they did some years ago.

Sophia Giannaka: Mr. President, today you are hosting us in a beautiful hall of the Maximos Mansion, where you have already been for seven years.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Almost seven.

Sophia Giannaka: Almost seven years. And you aim to win the elections again and therefore remain here for another four years. Isn’t that a lot?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: That will be judged by the Greek people, Ms. Giannaka. What I know is that we have a clear plan for Greece in 2030, that we think in terms of the future and not the past, that we have achieved a lot but there is still much more that needs to be done.

We must complete the constitutional revision. Greece must succeed during its presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2027 — a huge opportunity for our country.

We must complete a series of important structural reforms in which, for various reasons, we may have fallen behind. Take for example the issues of the primary sector, which came strongly to the surface during the discussion about OPEKEPE, where we also took responsibility, I would say with courage. But Greece cannot move forward if it does not dramatically transform its primary sector. And there are many more things that must be done.

Ultimately Greek citizens will judge whether this political proposal of New Democracy as it will be shaped ahead of the 2027 elections is convincing or not.

I feel that today New Democracy is the only political force that has a plan for the country — not only a plan for today, but a plan for tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. We are the only ones talking about artificial intelligence. The other day I opened a difficult topic: the issue of nuclear energy for commercial use, for electricity production in our country. It may have been considered taboo, but I must raise it today, because we do not know whether in five or ten years it may become a useful option for the country.

So we can look ahead and plan with a future horizon. And I believe we also have a responsibility as a political faction toward the country to safeguard the good of political stability and to seek again self-sufficiency in the next elections.

Just think for a moment, Ms. Giannaka, what would happen if we had a coalition government and I had to coordinate with other political leaders about whether to send frigates to Cyprus or not.

I want citizens to think about that. What it would mean if we had to negotiate with other political leaders about whether we should impose, for example, a cap on profit margins.

I think you can imagine that we would ultimately enter into bargaining — because that is what usually happens in multi-party governments — we would delay, we would most likely water down our proposal, and I certainly do not think we would benefit the country in that way.

So today the country has a single-party government that can make quick decisions and that ultimately implements its pre-election program.

Because I will accept criticism if someone tells me: “You said this and did the opposite.” But I see a government that, despite difficulties, despite problems, despite mistakes, is implementing its pre-election program.

We said we want to increase wages — we are increasing wages. We said we want to support disposable income through tax reductions — we are doing that.

We know there are major difficulties. I know very well that high prices are the first problem troubling many Greek households today.

But I will not promise things that cannot be done. I already see that the measures we took in the budget, the targeted tax reductions, are beginning to have some impact on society.

It may not be everything citizens expect, but it is what we can do. And we will always look them in the eye honestly and say: “These are the things we can do, these are the things we cannot do.”

The same applies, of course, to the management of this economic crisis. Have no doubt that the opposition parties will engage — and are already engaging — in incredible populism, competing over measures that they do not even bother to cost.

But my responsibility, because I have fought very hard to safeguard fiscal stability, is not to send any signal, inside or outside Greece, that now — when Greece is standing firmly on its feet — we will again lose fiscal discipline and take decisions beyond our capabilities. I will not do that.

Sophia Giannaka: Let me present the counterargument though, Mr. President. In the polls not everything is rosy for New Democracy. We see that citizens express distrust toward institutions and the rule of law. One example is the wiretapping scandal. Yesterday I saw Nikos Androulakis in Strasbourg bringing the issue to Europe. I also saw you recently in Parliament not responding at all to the wiretapping issue. The opposition even accused you of hiding. What is happening?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Look. First, the general picture. When a government has been in power for almost seven years, it is natural that there are signs of fatigue and, I would say, a tendency from society to criticize us more strongly simply because we have been in government for many years.

Our duty, I think, is also to listen to this criticism. The longer you are in government, the more you must limit such phenomena of arrogance. Sometimes this may not be easy, but that is the central line I try to follow.

And obviously you must work harder to earn the trust of citizens. It is completely logical that some fatigue will exist.

However, in the polls, Ms. Giannaka, New Democracy currently has more than double the percentage of the second party — more than double in all polls — and I think the goal of a self-sufficient majority may be difficult but it is certainly achievable. In any case it is more achievable than the goal set by Mr. Androulakis for PASOK to become the first party, based at least on common sense and the data of the polls.

Regarding the issue you mentioned, we will have the opportunity… You know, I am very institutional. I have spoken about this issue many times in Parliament, I have taken our share of responsibility, and we have made significant interventions.

I want to remind you that this issue arose 3.5 years ago; it is not recent. And the speeches made in the European Parliament acknowledged that the government recognized there was a problem in this matter and made interventions moving in the right direction.

So political leaders should not be impatient. We will fully respect the rules of Parliament. Within the next month, as the parliamentary rules require, there will be a discussion in Parliament on issues concerning the rule of law. We will have an opportunity to confront the issue, to see where we have progressed and where we must take further steps, and then everyone will judge us.

Sophia Giannaka: Two more questions, Mr. President. We are gradually entering an election period that will end, as you said and committed — having just ruled out early elections — next spring. **Alexis Tsipras and Maria Karystianou are two names that suggest there may soon be two new parties in the political landscape. Are they your opponents? Do they threaten you? Are you at risk?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: I cannot comment on parties that have not yet been announced. I do not know how many of these parties that are “being conceived” will ultimately reach the next elections. I must focus on our own house.

At the moment I believe that a rather divisive dynamic is developing within the broader opposition. I repeat that the issue is not simply the creation of new parties, but whether these parties bring a real alternative proposal for where the country is heading, parties that have real roots in society. Personally, I do not see that happening.

So allow me, Ms. Giannaka, to keep my expectations modest, because I cannot predict what the political and party landscape will ultimately look like when we head to the next elections.

Sophia Giannaka: One final question about the domestic scene. A cabinet reshuffle? We keep hearing about it, yet we never see it. It freezes, will it happen, when?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: You know that as journalists you have two favorite topics: cabinet reshuffles and early elections. I have already ruled out early elections, and I must also rule out a reshuffle. And I would say that especially during such a tense period…

Sophia Giannaka: It will never happen?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: …during such a tense period as the one we are going through now, we have a lot of work to do. We have a government team that I believe is working satisfactorily.

Of course, it is my job at any moment to evaluate the performance of my ministers. But right now we have a priority — to return to where we started — to keep the country safe, to repatriate Greek citizens who want to leave the Gulf countries, to protect our sailors, and to work with our diplomatic forces so that this war ends as soon as possible. And of course to support Greek society against the consequences of a crisis whose extent, I repeat, we still cannot know or predict.

However, we moved quickly, we took the first measures, and I hope and wish that no further ones will be necessary.

Sophia Giannaka: Thank you very much, Mr. President. Good luck, we will speak again.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Thank you.