Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated in parliament on Tuesday that economic growth in the 21st century must act in step with the protection of the environment.

He noted that the opponent of both growth and environmental protection is often one and the same, namely phobic bureaucracy.

“Eco-friendly prosperity is a top priority for this government. The future of our country is fully connected with our ability to protect and utilise our unique natural and cultural environment,” he said and added:

“Greece, especially under the current circumstances, is called upon to intensify its efforts to manage the great crisis of climate change.”

Kyriakos Mitsotakis called the criticism by the major opposition party SYRIZA against the “excellent” bill, as he dubbed it, which is being discussed in Parliament, unjustified.

After describing the results of the battle with the coronavirus pandemic as “extremely encouraging”, the prime minister explained that “environmental regulations set clear rules for its protection and set the stage for sustainable development that will mitigate the effects of the crisis and bring Greece on the path of progress.”