Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a package of measures to support workers and pensioners as well as crack down on tax evasion at the Thessaloniki International Fair.

The three-year freeze in the private sector is being unfrozen and the guaranteed minimum income is increasing by 8%, alongside new increases for pensioners, while cash transactions for property purchases are being abolished.

In a surprise move, the government is effectively scrapping a 2012 law that provided for a three-year freeze only if unemployment fell below 10% on an annual basis.

Decision leading to an increase of 30% or €234 for a private sector worker who is paid the minimum wage and has completed the maximum of 3 years

The prime minister also clarified the landscape surrounding the green fee that will “inflate” the resources of the reserve for natural disasters by €300m in 2024 with the increase of the daily accommodation fee mainly in luxury hotels from €1-6

Kyriakos Mitsotakis dedicated a large part of his speech to the fight against tax evasion, announcing a series of measures including:

• Cash register – POS interface until spring 2024
• Expansion of online shopping in retail.
• Abolition of cash in the purchase and sale of real estate
• Routing of digital invoices and digital waybills
• A fine of double the transaction for cash transactions over €500

In fear of new price increases after the passing of the Daniel decree, the prime minister announced a set of measures to reduce or even maintain prices as well as exhaustive controls on the market.

With the problem of finding accommodation ever increasing, those who receive income from the short-term letting of 3 or more properties will be treated as a business and will be charged VAT and related fees.

The prime minister also referred to measures to boost incomes from 2024, some already voted, such as increases in pensions, the increase in the tax-free allowance for families with children, the increase in the minimum wage, the 10,000 recruitments in the National Social Security and the new payroll in the State

At the same time, the Market Pass will finally get a second extension until the end of the year, but only for the residents of Evros and Thessaly.