“Young people this year, you are in the front row because you are a priority for the homeland, you are the generation that has been tested a lot lately, with the anxiety that you will live a life worse than that of your parents.

But no country has a future if young children feel that the road will eventually hide opportunities for the few and pitfalls for the many.

The new Greece needs new protagonists and they are you”, underlined the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis during his speech at the Vellideio Conference Center in the context of the 85th Thessaloniki International Fair.

“Here I announced last year the purchase of 18 Rafales that will soon become 24. This year I am here again to unite and give perspective, to describe our plan for Greece that is changing, moving forward and looking up. We can achieve more together from 2022 onwards. This year’s TIF is a defining restart and the starting point of an exciting decade”, said Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“I have made a personal commitment that no one will face this storm alone and we have made this commitment a just cause. Next to the protection of income is added the realistic hope of its improvement. Greeks, employees and companies pay less taxes everywhere. Greece borrows at historically low interest rates. All this took place while the planet was under attack by the coronavirus. Yes, we have had losses but fewer than in other countries. We have set up a perfect vaccination process, Operation Freedom”, he added. 

“Just last Tuesday it was announced that GDP jumped 16.2%, so today I am able to announce in the revision of the growth target in 2021 from 3.6 to 5.9%”, said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

He stressed that there will be development for all, no one will be left behind and added that “while in the midst of a pandemic a giant labor protection program unfolded, we did not stop the reforms”.

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Confidence of foreign institutional investors in the prospects of the Greek economy

“Just yesterday it was announced the sale of the minority package of Electricity Distributor Network Operator for 2.1 billion euros”, the Prime Minister noted and stressed: “We were all surprised by the price. All this reflects the confidence of foreign institutional investors in the prospects of the Greek economy”.

He also mentioned that the huge project of the reconstruction of Elliniko has started, VOAK in Crete is offering 35,000 new jobs, the Thessaloniki Metro will be ready at the end of 2023 and that in Athens metro line 4 will serve about one million passengers when completed.

We will always walk forward and look up

“We said it and we did it, Greece is changing, this is the report of the last two years, and we will continue to do that, learning from our mistakes based on the truth, doing, where and when we need our self-criticism. Richer Greece means richer Greeks. And in this way we meet the vast social majority of progress. I am talking about the vast majority of citizens who reject unnecessary polarization. The one that recognizes in responsibility, the other side of freedom. Individual success cannot lead to recklessness and arrogance. We will always walk forward and look up”, the Prime Minister underlined.

I propose a National Action Plan for Youth

The Prime Minister then described the national action plan for young people. “I start with the young. You grew up in the crisis, in lockdowns, you are experiencing the climate crisis. In front of you I pledge to fight to change this image with you in the foreground. I propose a national action plan with the youth, which we will discuss together in each region in the coming months. I am not naive, I hear your criticism of this I dare a new beginning. Young people up to 29 years old without previous work experience will be supported for 6 months by the state with 1,200 euros in the first recruitment. The 600 will go to employers and the remaining 600 will go to young people in addition to their salary to spend as they wish. From 2022, subsidized new jobs will increase to 150,000 from 100,000 and the student housing allowance is extended to the students of IEK”, said a characteristic.

From 1/1 2022 the special fee for mobile telephony and data is zeroed for those under 29

From 1/1 2022, the special fee for mobile telephony and data is zeroed for those under 29, while for teenagers 15 to 17 years old, those who have been vaccinated, we will offer them 50 free gb data on their mobile phone, announced Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The tax on parental benefits is abolished from 1/1/2022

Individuals and businesses will pay 10% mobile telephony fees from 2022, the Prime Minister added, adding: “From 1/1, the tax on parental benefits and donations up to 800,000 euros will be abolished. Another burden is a thing of the past. The solidarity contribution exemption will also apply to the private sector in 2022, as will the 3% reduction in insurance contributions. In businesses the tax falls to 22% and even on a permanent basis. The capital raising tax is immediately reduced by half. We are introducing discounts for green capital. Small and medium-sized enterprises that merge from now on will be taxed at only 15.5%. The measure will be in force for three years, it is important to strengthen small and medium enterprises, the Prime Minister noted.

“Reduced VAT of 13% in both gyms and dance schools. The successful BRIDGE program is extended for another 3 months. We will present our comprehensive plan for ENFIA in the budget debate. Most households will pay in 2022 less ENFIA than in 2021”, he said.

The future of the economy is only green – The climate crisis is emerging as the new challenge of our time

The Prime Minister sent the message that the future of the economy is only green. “Climate crisis is here affecting every aspect of our lives. From security to natural disasters to energy. Extreme weather events that occur much more frequently and much more intensely. This tragedy can only be averted if the pollutants are eliminated by 2050. This is an existential issue. “Greece follows this policy with many manifestations, such as green investments, amounting to 24 billion euros from the Recovery Fund and the NSRF”, he explained.

“I was the first to take responsibility and apologizing for the state’s weaknesses in the wake of the fires. The fires of August highlighted the need to create the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection with secured resources of 2.5 billion euros and for its political leadership I chose the best, Christos Stylianidis and Evangelos Tournas. The climate crisis is emerging as the new challenge of our time”, Kyriakos Mitsotakis concluded.