{"id":10256,"date":"2026-06-11T20:04:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T17:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/?p=10256"},"modified":"2026-06-11T20:04:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T17:04:00","slug":"live-kyriakos-mitsotakis-elections-in-the-spring-of-2027-chaos-and-turmoil-in-the-opposition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/?p=10256","title":{"rendered":"Live – Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Elections in the Spring of 2027 – Chaos and turmoil in the opposition"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interview <\/b>on ANT1 <\/b>and Nikos Hatzinikolaou<\/b>, during which he is asked to answer major questions, is given by Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/b>. <\/p>\n

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\u201cGlobal economic turmoil and inflation, along with inflation in our country, are fueled almost exclusively by fuel prices<\/b>,\u201d stressed Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/b> in response to a question about international turmoil.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOur country\u2019s diplomatic capital<\/b>, in light of this conflict as well, has been upgraded<\/b>. Greece has a close relationship with Israel, not necessarily with this government, but with Israel<\/b>. We have condemned, that is, the attacks in southern Lebanon. However, it has provided substantial assistance to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar,\u201d emphasized Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/b>, rejecting the possibility of Greece\u2019s involvement<\/b>. \u201cWe respect the agreements we have signed<\/b>,\u201d he commented.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cGreece is present in Libya<\/b>, we are present and support the armed groups in Lebanon, we are present in the Gulf states<\/b>, in the Security Council, fighting for what is obvious for a global shipping power, namely free navigation throughout the world and, of course, the Strait of Hormuz<\/b>\u201d, noted the prime minister<\/b>. <\/p>\n

Nikos Hatzinikolaou asked about the challenges posed by Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan<\/b>, citing the Turkish Ministry of Defense\u2019s statement regarding an illegal Cyprus-France agreement. \u201cDo you know of any prime minister who deliberately seeks troubled waters? I do not. We want functional relations with Turkey, calm waters, but also the ability to weather storms<\/b>,\u201d commented Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/b>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cExtension of territorial waters in the Ionian Sea to 12 nautical miles. Exclusive economic zone with Egypt, maritime spatial planning, marine parks, drilling for the first time in 40 years, Chevron south of Crete. Tell me, how exactly did Greece back down from its long-standing demands through the Athens Declaration. \u201cNow, for the first time, Greece is setting the agenda and Turkey is reacting<\/b>,\u201d continued Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/b>.<\/p>\n

He then spoke about \u201cthe calm waters of the southeastern Aegean, which are enjoyed by thousands of Turkish tourists<\/b>,\u201d as well as a common migration policy. Regarding the bill, Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized that \u201cwe don\u2019t know what it will contain<\/b>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth former prime ministers have dealt with Turkey<\/b>. We are aware of the complexity of this relationship. As far as I recall, they too sought\u2014and I repeat, rightly so\u2014to have a functional relationship with Turkey. As for the SAFE issue, no one expected Greece to oppose Turkey regarding European funding<\/b>. Which is exactly what happened<\/b>. I am the only prime minister who went to Ankara and raised the issue of casus belli<\/b>. \u201cI don\u2019t recall any other prime minister having done so,\u201d commented Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/b> regarding the criticism from Kostas Karamanlis and Antonis Samarakis<\/b>, which he described as \u201cunfair<\/b>.\u201d He declined to comment further on the two former prime ministers, \u201cboth of whom were elected.\u201d \u201cUntil 2023, we did not accept criticism on these issues<\/b>,\u201d he continued. <\/p>\n

Regarding accuracy<\/b>, he emphasized: \u201cLet me start by saying that the accumulated inflation following the pandemic is the biggest problem facing all European governments and many Greek households<\/b>. A large segment of society is struggling to make ends meet; I am fully aware of this<\/b>. The recent rise in inflation, however, is due to fuel prices. Historically, we have had higher taxes on fuel because it remains a key source of revenue for the state. This government has done a lot\u2014certainly not everything we\u2019d like, but what we can<\/b>. Millions of our fellow citizens have seen a significant increase in disposable income. The minimum wage is now 920 euros, up from 650. Fuel Pass, a child allowance, and measures totaling 800 million euros. A large portion of these increases is also offset by inflation. We must be realistic about what we can do. We have targets set by Europe. If we deviate from these targets, we will be placed under surveillance<\/b>. The shortfall created by the reduction in the special tax on fuel will reach 1 billion. I want them to tell me which tax I need to raise to make up for it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Regarding the criticism of the subsidy policy<\/b>, he commented: \u201cWhich subsidies are you referring to? Why do we need surpluses? To reduce the debt<\/b>. The greatest success, a national success, is the reduction of the debt by 60 points<\/b>. We cannot pass the debt on to the country. We were swallowed up by the insurmountable debt<\/b>. The government did not choose a policy of handouts; we only did that during Covid. Our policy is to cut taxes<\/b>. Disability benefits and child benefits will remain, and those who criticize us can tell us if we want to cut them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tax cuts are a result of this policy<\/b>, that 560,000 new jobs were created, is due to the fact that our investment framework helped us attract investment. The top priority must be how fiscal consolidation will translate into household income<\/b>. Where there are market distortions, we have an independent authority that imposes fines. I am a liberal politician, and we have set a cap, which is a highly interventionist measure<\/b>,\u201d he replied regarding Greece\u2019s upgrade in the investment rating.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFines are useful, and legislation is useful for profit margins.<\/b> We need to bring the government, industry, manufacturers, and supermarkets to the same table and reach a social responsibility agreement. We need to tell them that we are willing to roll back some of the interventionist measures, provided they lower prices. We need not only the carrot, but also the stick<\/b>,\u201d he replied again to a question about high prices<\/b>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Regarding the Thessaloniki International Fair<\/b>, Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/b> emphasized: \u201cWe took a very significant step regarding private debt. Both for out-of-court settlements and for debt that cannot be seized<\/b>. For every fellow citizen we want to\u2014and possibly must\u2014help, there are other fellow citizens who are law-abiding. We cannot disrupt this culture of payment. First of all, we can go to the Thessaloniki International Fair and announce measures. We are in a position to support society. During the first four years, businesses received significant support. During the second four years, we turned our attention to salaried employees and freelancers<\/b>. \u201cWe don\u2019t know how much time we\u2019ll have to speak at the Thessaloniki International Fair,\u201d commented Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/b>, who rejected the reinstatement of the 13th-month salary<\/b>, however, \u201cdoctors and other professionals have seen raises that far exceed the 13th month\u2019s salary<\/b>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Regarding the salary increases for metropolitans<\/b>: \u201cI find it hard to accept that a metropolitan\u2019s salary would be significantly lower than that of a mufti<\/b>. That was the request of the Church of Greece and the hierarchy. As for the priests, this government resolved a 70-year-old issue, namely their protection through their permanent positions<\/b>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Nikos Hatzinikolaou asked Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/b> about the rule of law<\/b>, which he described as \u201cunpleasant\u201d for the government. The prime minister replied: \u201cLet\u2019s start from the beginning. It is a complex issue. First, when we talk about the rule of law, we are talking about the overall framework within which a well-governed society must function<\/b>. The European Commission issues a report on the rule of law. The European Union says that we are making significant progress year after year<\/b>. We take the European Commission\u2019s recommendations very seriously. Regarding the election of judges, for example, we will discuss this in the Constitutional Review. The judges themselves now vote on who they want to preside over the court<\/b>. This is significant progress and a step in the right direction<\/b>. We need to look at what is being said outside Greece about the rule of law. When The Economist says that progress has been made in Greece<\/b>. For heaven\u2019s sake, does anyone believe that there is censorship of journalists in Greece? <\/b>Newspapers are being published that wouldn\u2019t be published in any European country. Eight out of ten newspapers are highly critical of the government<\/b>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s now look at what we\u2019ve done about the backlogs<\/b>. We abolished the magistrates\u2019 courts and merged them with the courts of first instance. We doubled the number of first-instance judges<\/b>. As a result, there has been an improvement in the speed of case adjudication. This is what citizens want. \u201cI have always taken the stance of not commenting on judicial decisions, whether I like them or not,\u201d he continued. Regarding OPEKEPE<\/b>, he said that \u201cwe are fighting a major battle against the deep state<\/b>. The OPEKEPE case, first of all, involves cases from 2021. I am not invoking the passage of time. I was the first to acknowledge that there was a significant delay at OPEKEPE<\/b>. We made a drastic decision to abolish OPEKEPE and incorporate it into the AADE<\/b>. We were late because the Gordian knot had to be cut, not untied<\/b>. I take my share of the responsibility for this. Do you know how important it will be to know how many animals we have in the country? Once the Land Registry is completed, we will know who is farming. It is the most difficult reform I will undertake in my seven years as prime minister. No opposition party voted for it.<\/b> A request was made to lift the immunity of 13 of our MPs. I immediately said yes<\/b>. The European Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office came and said they wanted to investigate you further. Two have already been deposited. The European Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office came and said, it wasn\u2019t 1.5 million, it was 110\u2013120 thousand. Let it run its course and we\u2019ll see. I\u2019m not in a position to say whether Ms. Kovesi is a good prosecutor. That\u2019s judged by how many convictions she\u2019s secured. I hope she\u2019s wrong, but we\u2019ll see<\/b>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know of any other government that sends its ministers to court?<\/b>\u201d, Kyriakos Mitsotakis<\/b> asked rhetorically regarding Tempi<\/b>. He also said: \u201cWe have 36 defendants in the Tempi case, 33 of whom are charged with felonies. The trial is being held in an empty courtroom<\/b>. Only the judiciary can ultimately decide. A massive lie was constructed around Tempi, the infamous \u201cbeating,\u201d which all the opposition parties jumped on<\/b> to insinuate that I went there to cover something up. Now we understand what is going on with the Tempi case. How many times have they called me a murderer?<\/b> I went there immediately afterward and I will never forget what I saw. I will not accept any insinuation that at that moment we had in mind to cover up a crime<\/b>.\u201d <\/p>\n

Regarding Contract 717<\/b>, he said that the courts will decide<\/b>. \u201cHow many people have been killed on the Patras-Pyrgos highway? The road was built; we built it, and I\u2019m proud of it. Why aren\u2019t we going after the previous ministers to send them to a special court? To put it very simply, if someone falls into a pothole, gets injured, and we hold the mayor criminally liable<\/b>.\u201d <\/p>\n

Regarding the wiretaps <\/b>, he emphasized: \u201cI have stated my position many times. I acknowledged responsibilities for the malfunction; people left their posts, changes were made at the EYP, and the case went to court<\/b>. The EYP was a valuable ally. The rest is being investigated by the judiciary, and I have nothing to say about that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Regarding the elections<\/b>, he commented: \u201cThe elections will take place in the spring of 2027. This isn\u2019t the first time I\u2019ve said this<\/b>. Why in the spring? If I wanted to push the constitutional limits, I could hold them in July or August. On July 1, the country takes over the presidency of the European Council of the European Union<\/b>. I\u2019m not prejudging the outcome, but the country must be ready. I am concerned about the level of political dialogue, the toxicity<\/b>. Why aren\u2019t the opposition parties participating in the discussions on Constitutional Revision?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Regarding Tsipras or Androulakis<\/b>, he replied: \u201cWhy should I have an opinion on a matter that doesn\u2019t concern me and that I can\u2019t influence? We see a political force that is clearly in first place, with more than double the percentage of the second-place party<\/b>. A lower percentage, but with the goal of a majority government within reach. The political landscape is fragmented, with a formal opposition that is politically independent<\/b>. Isn\u2019t the Left just a Tower of Babel and a circus?<\/b> The title \u201cELAS\u201d was discussed, but Mr. Polakis was left with \u201cEAM\u201d<\/b>. If your license is revoked three times, can you still drive the same car? Mr. Tsipras has had his license revoked three times, but he\u2019s still the same person<\/b>. I don\u2019t see if there\u2019s an honesty meter, but I watched the documentary \u201cTo the Millimeter\u201d on SKAI and it gave me chills. If we\u2019re talking about integrity and political integrity, will Mr. Tsipras say so? We mentioned the Patras-Pyrgos highway that was split up to go to his favorite contractor, who kept Parliament in session for a week even though elections had been called, in order to push through the changes he wanted to the criminal justice system<\/b>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Regarding Karistianos<\/b>: \u201cI don\u2019t know where he stands; he hasn\u2019t made his position clear<\/b>. Whether his popularity translates into political support is debatable. He hasn\u2019t convinced me that he has the basic knowledge<\/b>\u2014not the specialized kind\u2014to stand as a politician<\/b>. He will run again, he will be under pressure, and the public will judge whether he can hold his own<\/b>.\u201d <\/p>\n

Regarding Samaras<\/b>: \u201cI hadn\u2019t heard that before (note: that Mitsotakis and Tsipras are the same, as Samaras claimed). In hindsight, expelling him wasn\u2019t a mistake. Mr. Samaras comes from the party; he took him back under his wing and made him prime minister. He was a good prime minister; I was his minister<\/b>. I cannot imagine that this man would do anything to harm the party that gave him a second chance and made him prime minister<\/b>, I cannot accept that. The point is whether we can, not whether we should resolve our personal issues, if Mr. Samaras believes what he says about foreign policy. In \u201923 he didn\u2019t believe it; he campaigned with New Democracy. If he believes it now, it\u2019s obviously not possible. I want to believe he won\u2019t form a party<\/b>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

On his relationship with Kostas Karamanlis<\/b>: \u201cWhen I speak to the party\u2019s political committee, on the wall are the photographs of all the leaders of New Democracy. I treat them all with respect and dignity<\/b>, because I believe they deserve it. That doesn\u2019t mean we have to agree on everything\u2014we don\u2019t agree on everything\u2014but the relationship must be dignified and functional<\/b>.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kyriakos Mitsotakis gives an interview on ANT1 with Nikos Hatzinikolaou, during which he is asked to address major issues. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10257,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10256","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10256"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10256\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10256"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}