Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Greece and France become a strong axis in the Mediterranean – The interventions for the farmers of Mytilene

The full post of Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Bonjour! Today I greet you in French, obviously influenced by the visit of the President of France and friend Emmanuel Macron to Athens on Friday and Saturday. It is always good to confirm in practice that you have strong allies, especially when this translates into agreements that shield the country.

At a critical geopolitical juncture, we confirmed the strategic choice we made in 2021 to strengthen the relationship between Greece and France, turning it into a strong, multi-level alliance. The Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Relationship that we signed a few hours ago is a broad strategic agreement that upgrades and deepens even further the Greek-French relationship, signalling our solidarity not only in defence, but also in economy, civil protection, migration, technology, environment, education and culture. It is an agreement that makes Greece more secure, strengthens its geopolitical position and creates new opportunities and prospects for synergies, from artificial intelligence to cyber security. At the same time, we are substantially strengthening our deterrent power through the renewal of the 2021 Strategic Partnership Agreement on Defence and Security. Greece and France are member states of the EU and NATO, but at the same time we are becoming a powerful axis in the Mediterranean, which we have demonstrated with our defence support to Cyprus, showing what European solidarity means in practice. We continue to walk together on the path of a strong, competitive and autonomous Europe – issues we also discussed at the informal European Council in Cyprus. A Europe capable of standing confidently in an uncertain world and defending the interests of its citizens and its values.

Beyond these very important developments, the week we leave behind us has been focused on the economy and supporting disposable income. Our “formula” remains constant: as the economy does better than forecast, the surplus will be returned to citizens, especially the most vulnerable. The dynamism of our economy, as reflected in official Eurostat figures, allowed us to announce on Wednesday 8 new support measures totalling €500 million.

So how do these measures translate:

– 1.86 million pensioners and people with disabilities will see their annual allowance increase from €250 to €300

– Over 1 million renters will receive a refund of one of the 12 rents they pay, following the extension of the income criteria we announced

– 3.3 million parents with children will receive €150 per child

– 1.3 million parents with children will receive €150 per child

– 1.3 million renters will receive a refund of one of the 12 rents they pay, following the extension of the income criteria we announced

– 3.3 million parents with children will receive €150 per child

– 1.3 million renters will receive a refund of one of the 12 rents they pay, following the extension of the income criteria we announced. individuals and 284,000 businesses and freelancers with overdue debts to the state can more easily settle their debts in 72 instalments

– 250,000 full-time farmers will receive additional support for diesel and fertiliser

– The 20 cent subsidy on diesel is extended in May.

I am well aware that no single measure is enough to eliminate the pressures of international price pressures on its own. But the fact that Greece is now one of only five EU countries with a surplus allows us to provide solutions without risking what we have built.

Another positive news for our economy from Europe, as the 7th tranche of €1.18 billion from the Recovery and Resilience Fund has been disbursed, bringing us to €24.6 billion in 4.5 years. Funds that are being transformed into projects that the country has needed for decades: from the renovation of hospitals and the digital modernisation of the state, to the infrastructure that makes Greece a modern country.

But as no week is all good news, I come to the foot-and-mouth disease problem that has emerged on livestock farms in Lesvos. A major and coordinated battle is being waged, with all available resources and forces being mobilised to contain and eradicate the disease from the island. I want farmers to know that we are with them and we are already working on and will present a comprehensive framework of support measures, without a financial ceiling, with 4 key interventions covering both livestock losses and income, feed costs and the impact on milk production. But it is a battle we must fight together. I urge producers to follow biosecurity measures closely so that we can contain the disease as quickly as possible.

Next on the agenda today is the Social Tourism programme, applications for which opened on Tuesday with a view to starting to run from 18 May, earlier than any previous year. It’s a much-loved programme, consider that from 2019 to date, over 1.2 million of our fellow citizens have holidayed through it. This year, we have 300,000 cheques available, with our provision mainly targeted at those most in need: large families are automatically enrolled in the programme, while people with disabilities receive the maximum bonus.

A very important development concerns the accessibility of people with disabilities in the city, as the Free Transport Service for People with Disabilities is reinforced with 7 more specially adapted vehicles, bringing the total fleet of the OSS to 10. What does this mean in practice? It means that the available routes more than double. But we are not just talking about vehicles. We are investing in people, training drivers and controllers to give them the support they need, and in technology, removing red tape. And with the Disability Card now linked directly to the e-ticket, our citizens can travel for free, without having to produce supporting documents and without the hassle of the past.

I continue in the field of public health and in the foundation of the new building complex at the Attikon University General Hospital, one of the great “flagships” of the NHS, which was designed to serve 80,000 people a year and now serves 200,000. That is why the donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation is of great importance and we thank it warmly. It is a national benefactor for the NHS and I will mention only the construction and equipping of the three new, state-of-the-art hospitals in Komotini, Thessaloniki and Sparta, which will be delivered within the next 12 months and will change the hospital map of the country. As for Attikon, the two new buildings will be completed and handed over to the state in 2027. They will serve the hospital’s needs in terms of beds and on-call physician space and will host the National Coordination Centre for Mobile Medical Units. Thank you again.

The digital transformation of Greek education was praised by the OECD, noting that our country has gone from being a laggard in educational innovation to one of the most dynamic examples of educational adaptation in the modern era, as it is now among the countries that not only follow developments, but actively contribute to shaping them. Some examples: the Digital School, thanks to which a child living on the most remote island or in a mountainous village now has the same access to knowledge as a student in Athens. The Digital Tutoring Centre for free tutoring of students, with a focus on preparing candidates for the Panhellenic Examinations. The tens of thousands of interactive whiteboards in schools, communication applications such as e-Parents, which strengthen the school-family interface, and many other interventions. In short, we have made significant investments in digital infrastructure and educational resources.

The Court of Accounts passed the award of the international tender held in October 2025 for the electronic supervision of defendants, convicts and prisoners on leave, the so-called “bracelets”, an important step in modernising the country’s penal policy. Recall that its pilot implementation began in 2025 and now, after the Supreme Court’s “green light”, it is being fully implemented nationwide. The competent judicial authorities will of course decide on the possibility of imposing the measure, where the conditions of the law are met, but it is clear that electronic surveillance is mainly for lighter and medium crime, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups, such as prisoners over 70 years of age, mothers with minor children and people with disabilities. In no case will it apply to those convicted of serious criminal offences.

I take this opportunity to once again congratulate the officers of the Sub-Division for Combating Organized Crime for dismantling the giant smuggling ring of contraband tobacco products, with the damage to the State exceeding 1 billion! The case allegedly involves 38 natural persons and 21 companies of all legal forms, plus 7 shipping companies. The Anti-Money Laundering Authority has made one of the largest seizures of assets in Greece – luxury real estate, factories, cars, boats and 3 tankers.

I continue with yet another repatriation of Greek antiquities, a restoration of law in the field of culture. This time the tidbit involves five ancient works of art – an angel, a bronze mirror, a statue and a section of a relief – dating between the 6th century BC and 2 AD that were returned from the United States to the land that created them. They were acquired by the Grey family, who contacted the Greek authorities and offered to return them. It is a move that we welcome. Every time one of our treasures is returned, a piece of our history is restored.

I conclude with a very important piece of positive news. Last week, authoritative international financial institutions, including the IMF, recorded that Greece has in recent years achieved the largest ever reduction in public debt in Europe and the world. This reduction of 65 points or almost 30% from the pandemic highs is a conscious choice of fiscal responsibility and intergenerational solidarity with our children. Quite simply because young Greeks must never again in the future live in an over-indebted country that drives young people abroad. Our government will not pass the bill on to future generations. Our goal is that from next year Greece will not be the EU country with the highest European debt, consistently continuing on the path of convergence with the rest of Europe in this crucial area as well.

Obviously this is a longer review than last week’s. A return to normality, one might say. See you next Sunday!

</html