Taking the opportunity, Kyriakos Mitsotakis is heading to northern Greece, where New Democracy (ND) suffered significant electoral losses in the European Parliament elections. These losses are expected to become even more pronounced ahead of the national elections, with parties to ND’s right — primarily the Greek Solution party — benefiting from the shift in support.

Mitsotakis hopes to stem these losses by emphasizing key infrastructure projects across several regional units, as well as government measures to support household incomes. In the northern regions in particular, household finances are also affected by heating costs, with a difficult winter looming.

Today, shortly before departing for New York, Mitsotakis will visit infrastructure projects in Kilkis, a regional unit where ND suffered significant losses in the recent European elections. The prime minister’s schedule begins shortly after 11 a.m. at the construction site for the Assiros–Nea Santa road section. He will then visit local production facilities, the Kilkis Elderly Care Home operated by the Central Macedonia Social Welfare Center, and upgrade works on the Halastra–Evzoni road corridor.

At midday, Mitsotakis will meet with residents in Neo Agioneri, following the direct-contact approach he has adopted during targeted visits both within and outside the Attica region. He will then travel to Thessaloniki, where in the afternoon he will officially activate the lighting system unveiled as part of the project to illuminate and highlight the White Tower. He will subsequently visit the Hamza Bey Mosque, also known as Alaca Imaret.

According to quantitative analyses held by the Maximos Mansion, the prime minister’s office, northern Greece has become ND’s Achilles’ heel. While the party performs strongly in Attica and is improving in rural areas and regional capital cities, the northern regions require more systematic efforts to promote the government’s work and its initiatives to support citizens.

Particular emphasis is being placed on measures concerning fuel costs, the heating allowance, and recent initiatives involving agricultural diesel, which will be available tax-free directly at the pump from November 1.

Bekiris’s departure ahead of the tour

Mitsotakis is heading to northern Greece following another departure from his inner circle. Yesterday, Michalis Bekiris stepped down as director of the prime minister’s parliamentary office and coordinator of the Thessaloniki prime minister’s office.

Bekiris had found himself at the center of media reports and opposition criticism over whether he held a recognized degree and whether his appointment to his parliamentary position had been published in the Government Gazette.

Consequently, shortly before a regional tour during which he would have appeared alongside the prime minister, Bekiris spoke with Mitsotakis at the Maximos Mansion yesterday and informed him of his intention to step down so that he could defend himself.

Throughout the preceding period, Bekiris had not provided detailed answers to the questions raised. He had only announced that he would take legal action over the reports, which he denounced as an “unprecedented campaign of personal targeting.”

Bekiris has a long-standing political relationship with Mitsotakis. Both were elected to parliament in the 2004 cohort and worked alongside one another in parliament for years. When Mitsotakis won the leadership of New Democracy, Bekiris became director of his office.

He subsequently stepped out of the spotlight for a time without actually severing his ties to the political leadership, later returning to take on a key role in parliament.

Nevertheless, his departure yesterday came as a bolt from the blue even for government officials who had spent days facing questions about how the matter had been handled.

Bekiris, for his part, stresses that his departure is temporary and in no way constitutes an admission of wrongdoing.

“My decision is exclusively personal. It is neither a retreat nor an acceptance of any accusation. It is a conscious choice rooted in dignity and responsibility. My duty is to protect the honor and reputation of my family and preserve my personal relationship with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, a relationship that goes beyond the boundaries of politics,” he emphasizes.

He has now made clear that he intends to meet his critics in court.