In his weekly address, Mitsotakis congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory, underscoring the significance of Greek-American relations and affirming Greece’s position in Europe amid global shifts. He called for a more united and competitive European Union, emphasising energy independence and collective defence, as recently discussed at the European Council in Budapest.

Key domestic developments and regional projects

Mitsotakis also provided updates on major national and local initiatives, including the unveiling of the Argolis Local Development Plan in Nafplio. As part of Greece’s National Strategy for Regional Development, the plan outlines €440 million for infrastructure and €94 million in business aid, with funding secured through collaboration between the national government, regional authorities, and local municipalities. This initiative, following similar projects in Evros and Zakynthos, seeks to foster grassroots development through consultations with local communities.

The much-anticipated Thessaloniki Metro will open in 20 days, a milestone for the city after years of delay. The Metro, designed to improve daily commutes at an affordable ticket price of €0.60, comes with reductions in public transport fares across the region. Monthly cards for both the Metro and city buses will also see a significant price cut. “Even with decades of delay, Thessaloniki is receiving the most modern Metro in Europe,” Mitsotakis said, adding that he looks forward to taking the first journey on the system.

Investments in jobs and economic support

Mitsotakis highlighted a total of 271 approved investment projects nationwide, amounting to €858 million. This includes 162 tourism projects and 109 manufacturing investments, expected to create over 4,000 jobs. A substantial portion of funds will be allocated to regions heavily impacted by adverse weather, such as Thessaly, and high-demand tourist areas like Crete and the South Aegean.

The government is also committed to creating more jobs with better pay, especially for women and young people. In five years, 500,000 jobs have been created, reducing female and youth unemployment by 10% and 16% respectively, while overall unemployment reached a 15-year low of 9.4%.

Supporting vulnerable communities

In efforts to improve services for people with disabilities, the government has expanded the Disability Certification Centre (KE.P.A.) with 740 newly trained doctors, bringing the total to 1,254. This increase aims to expedite the certification process and includes a revised list of irreversible diseases to avoid unnecessary re-assessments. In addition, compensation for KE.P.A. doctors and secretaries has increased by 50% for the first time since 2011.

In education, 105 special education teachers were hired for the 2024–2025 academic year, along with 295 teachers filling vacancies in general education. These efforts are part of a broader plan to support students with disabilities and ensure inclusive education nationwide.

The Social Housing Programme in Thessaloniki also gained momentum this week, with €610,500 earmarked for the renovation of 30 public and municipal properties. The scheme, in partnership with the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, includes energy upgrades to reduce heating and cooling costs. Long-term leases with reduced rents will be available to vulnerable groups, offering them greater housing security.

Strengthening Greece’s firefighting capacity

Addressing firefighter recruitment, Mitsotakis outlined plans to hire an additional 300 rangers by 2025, adding to the 500 rangers hired in 2022 and 650 in 2023. Furthermore, 150 seasonal firefighters will be transitioned to permanent positions. The government also plans to offer alternative public-sector employment to those firefighters whose contracts are due to expire, particularly in civil protection and forestry roles.

Pensions reform and expedited processing

Mitsotakis reported significant progress in processing pension applications, with the national insurance agency EFKA issuing 920,000 primary pension decisions between January 2021 and October 2024, a rate double that seen prior to 2021. Supplementary pensions have also been expedited, with overdue cases reduced by 60% since December 2022. Additionally, backlogged payments for EFAPAX pensions dropped by 55% from March 2023 to September 2024.

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