The speech of the Director General of the New Democracy, Giannis Smyrlis, at the 16th regular Conference of the party.
Mr Smyrlis described the event as a milestone day for the historic party, marking the official start of preparations for the upcoming national polls. Addressing the executives and delegates, he expressed happiness for the timeless contribution of the centre-right party, which in its 51 years of existence has chosen the path of seriousness and truth, rejecting the slippery paths of populism and toxicity that divide society.
During his account, the ND Director-General focused on three critical pillars of the government’s tenure from 2019 to date, with first that of the economy. As he pointed out, the government has managed to reduce unemployment from 18% to 8%, creating 600 thousand new jobs and raising the average full-time wage above €1,500.
He also mentioned the reduction of 83 taxes and contributions, the recovery of the investment grade and the rapid reduction of public debt, stressing that the 36 billion euros of resources from the Recovery Fund were directed to ambitious reforms that strengthened social cohesion.
Smyrlis made special reference to the digital revolution of the state through the gov.gr platform, which radically improved the daily life of citizens by integrating thousands of services and artificial intelligence tools.
In the field of foreign policy and defence, he underlined the enhanced geopolitical role of the country, especially in the midst of the hot crisis in the Middle East. He recalled the direct support to Cyprus with the deployment of the frigate Psara, four F-16 Viper aircraft and the new frigate Kimon, noting that the “Agenda 2030” armament programme and strong international alliances make Greece a fully reliable and powerful player in Europe and the world.
Closing his statement, Giannis Smyrlis thanked the ideal party members who are fighting the battle in the neighborhoods and cities, describing them as the real soul of the party.
He called on the congress to send a strong message of unity and readiness, setting as the only goal the victory in the upcoming elections and the formation of a third consecutive independent government under Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in order to ensure the political and social stability of the country with a horizon to 2030.
