Acceleration of reforms, productive reconstruction<\/b> and strong support for Thessaly<\/b> with an emphasis on investment, exports<\/b> and social development policy<\/b>.<\/p>\n
In an environment of intense international challenges<\/b> and rapid economic upheavals<\/b>, Kyriakos Pierrakakis<\/b> sent from Larissa a strong political-economic message<\/b> for the continuation of reforms<\/b> and the transition of Greece to a new productive model of growth<\/b>. At the 4th European Regional Development Forum<\/b>, he referred to the need for the country to establish a modern, outward-looking and investment-attractive model of economy<\/b>, which will be based on production<\/b>, innovation<\/b> and exports. At the same time, he placed particular emphasis on Thessaly<\/b>, presenting specific data on its development path<\/b>, major infrastructure and projects worth billions of euros<\/b> that are transforming the regional economy<\/b>, while underlining that the strengthening of social cohesion, tax reform and support for vulnerable groups are key pillars of the government’s strategy for a more resilient and competitive Greece.<\/p>\n
The need to continue the reforms<\/b>, the productive reconstruction<\/b> of the country and the strengthening of Thessaly<\/b>, highlighted the Minister of National Economy and Finance and President of the Eurogroup Kyriakos Pierrakakis<\/b> during his speech at the 4th European Forum for Regional Development<\/b> in Larissa, organized by the newspaper “Eleftheria”<\/b> and the Region of Thessaly<\/b>.<\/p>\nCentral point<\/h3>\n
The central point of his speech was the need for politics “to be judged by results and not by intentions”.<\/p>\n
“In our time, words are in abundance. It is actions that are ultimately tested by us politicians,” he said, adding that “societies demand results.” As he said, “politics is the ability to turn knowledge into action, work into results, intention into action.”<\/p>\n
Referring to the period from 2019 onwards, he argued that Greece was then “on the edge of a razor’s edge”, with “the wounds of the crisis still open in the economy, in institutions, but above all in the self-confidence of society”. He noted that new trials followed, such as the pandemic, the war in Europe, energy turbulence and inflationary pressures, but he said “we did not allow the unpredictable to take us by surprise.”<\/p>\n
He made special reference to the digital state, saying that the pandemic “was not only a health crisis, it was a crisis of administrative competence” and that in it “Greece made a leap that would have taken years under other circumstances.” As he noted, “the relationship between state and citizen has changed” and today the criticism that is being made concerns “everything that is not yet there and must be found with even greater speed.”<\/p>\n
The minister also referred to the international environment, stressing that “the world in which we find ourselves today is not like the one we knew ten or even five years ago.” As he said, “balances are changing, alliances are being redefined, competition is intensifying” and now artificial intelligence, value chains, green transition and new forms of industry are “the new conditions of power”.<\/p>\n
On this point, he expressed the view that Greece cannot remain inactive. “Either we will be agents of developments or we will be recipients of them. You either plan the future or suffer it,” he said, adding that the country has chosen “to be present, reliable and to participate in major decisions as an equal partner.”<\/p>\n
Referring to the economy, he said that the next big bet is to change the production model. “For decades, Greek growth has been based mainly on consumption,” he said, noting that “the next step is a dynamic emphasis on production, creation and extroversion.” He stressed that “Greece is not destined to consume what our trading partners mainly produce,” but can “innovate more, export knowledge, technology and goods.”<\/p>\n
Citing economic data, he said that investment as a percentage of GDP was 11% in 2019 and is currently at 17%, while the European average is 21%. On exports, he said that from 20% of GDP in 2010, they have reached 42%, with the European average at 51%, stressing that “we have a long way to go to make up for lost ground.”<\/p>\n
On the social side of economic policy, Pierrakakis said that “the economy is the foundation on which every social policy is built” and that today “this foundation is stronger.” He referred to raising the minimum wage, supporting pensioners, reducing insurance contributions, limiting presumptions and reducing the ENFIA in small settlements, noting that the tax reform also has a demographic character.<\/p>\n
“How you are taxed will change depending on how many children you have, how young you are and where you live,” he said, explaining that the aim is to support families, young people and the outlying regions of Greece. He called the reform “the biggest reduction of direct taxation in one move” and “the biggest intervention in personal taxation.”<\/p>\n
The minister also referred to private debt, noting that there are citizens and professionals who “do not deny their obligations, they want to settle, they want to be punctual, they want to get back to normal financial life.” He said they need “a state that gives them a hand and does not lift a finger”. In this context, he referred to the expansion of the extrajudicial mechanism, the new regulation of up to 72 instalments and the possibility of lifting the seizure of bank accounts under certain conditions.<\/p>\n
To support pensioners, he noted that the annual aid is increased to 300 euros net and covers about 85% of pensioners over 65 years old. For housing, he said that the reimbursement of a rent now covers 86% of tenants, about one million citizens. For families with children, he spoke of a 150 euro subsidy for each dependent child, without application, with income criteria covering about 80% of families.<\/p>\n
Speaking specifically about the primary sector, he said the government is extending the subsidy on diesel for May and continuing support for fertilizer until August. “Supporting the primary sector is not only about producers, it is about the food chain, prices, the region, the strength of the real economy,” he said.<\/p>\n
Pierrakakis did not fail to mention the difficulties of the international situation, saying that “we will not hide the difficulties.” He said that the 2026 growth forecast is being revised from 2.4% to 2% due to international developments, energy pressures and the impact on supply chains. However, he argued that “the Greek economy remains on a dynamic trajectory” and that “Greece is not losing its pace, it is adapting, supporting, investing, moving forward.”<\/p>\n
He also made a special reference to the debate around the word “Ithaca”, noting that “because we have been hearing a lot lately in the political vocabulary around the word Ithaca, I will say that the meaning for Greece is not only to find Ithaca, it is to reach it without reliving the Odyssey.” With this phrase, he linked the continuation of the current political direction to the need for stability, avoiding new cycles of uncertainty and maintaining what he said has been achieved in recent years.<\/p>\n
He then focused on Thessaly, announcing that there will be a “specific and tight timetable” for the relocation of the customs office from the city of Larissa, a long-standing demand of the region. He said he is already in contact with the commander of the ADE, so that officials of the authority will conduct an autopsy next week.<\/p>\n
Presenting data on the regional economy, he said that from 2019 to 2025 Thessaly recorded a clear improvement. He said turnover in retail trade increased by 28%, tourism recorded a 55% increase in accommodation and 65% in catering, while unemployment fell from 18.5% to 6.2%, lower than the national average.<\/p>\n
As for projects in the region, he noted that “an extensive programme is underway with hundreds of projects and resources exceeding 4.5 billion euros”, referring to a “total reboot of the region with a 2030 horizon”. He referred to the E65, the connection with the Egnatia, the upgrading of key roads, the completion of the Volos regional road and the upgrading of the railway line to Kalambaka.<\/p>\n
“These projects do not just reduce distances,” he said, “they connect the region with the major networks of the country and Europe, make it a transport and trade hub, open up paths for investment.”<\/p>\n
He made special reference to the major irrigation projects, dams and modern water management networks, which he said mean “security in production, resilience in the face of the climate crisis and an agricultural sector that is stronger, more efficient and more sustainable.” At the same time, he noted that the port of Volos and the airport of Nea Anchialos are acquiring a new role, making Thessaly “a gateway, a point of connection with markets, with investments and with new opportunities.”<\/p>\n
In conclusion, the minister stressed that “Thessaly is not a place that seeks opportunities, it is a place that creates them.” As he said, it is “facing a new historical phase, where resilience is transformed into perspective and effort into results”. In conclusion, he noted that “Thessaly is not just a place with history, it is a place with a future”, underlining that the region’s course is “proof that we can turn difficulties into strength and effort into results”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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