Our policy leads Greece to tomorrow with the greatest possible security and certainty, the Minister of Development, Takis Theodorikakos, emphasized in his speech on the state budget 2025.

As he observed, two wars are being fought in the wider region with huge human losses and critical effects on the economy, on energy costs, on the supply chain, on transport costs. The two largest EU states – Germany and France – are going through multi-layered crises. The political change in the US will likely mean new conditions in global competition, unfavorable for Europe. The risks of expanding military operations are strong.

Mr. Theodorikakos, called “to realize the changes and the need to move in the midst of risks with a composed national strategy” and, responding to the former prime minister G. A. Papandreou who spoke “about Alice in Wonderland” said that the government is talking with data from ELSTAT and Eurostat: “Based on these data, from the beginning of the year, until November 30, food inflation in Greece, -ELSTAT data- was 0.12%. In the same period, January 1 to October 31 – Eurostat did not include November – food inflation was 0.8%, and the index of household maintenance items was -8.6%, from last year. These are elements that describe steps of progress and improvement in the lives of citizens in relation to what was happening during the years of threatened destruction, during SYRIZA” emphasized Mr. Theodorikakos.

However, he added, “there are large sections of society that struggle to meet important needs of their families and households. This is a reality we are experiencing. Because we are part of society. Especially our low-wage fellow citizens, who live out of necessity on rent, [. . . ] affected by the housing crisis. We have to do everything in our power to support these citizens and walk with our eyes fixed on them, working hard and with modesty”, emphasized the Minister of Development.

Mr. Theodorikakos set the goal, “to be able to overcome in the coming years the significant deficit of the trade balance, which despite the increase in exports and industrial production in recent years, remains at high levels, corresponding to those we had when we entered the eurozone. The industry in the border areas and in the periphery is a condition for the security of our homeland, for stopping the dramatic demographic shrinkage. It is a condition for reducing social and regional inequalities. That is why it is a national necessity and must be supported by all political forces and it is the policy that can give realistic hope today and tomorrow, especially to the social groups that are weaker economically and to young people. A better standard of living can only exist for everyone in a more productive Greece.”

Referring to the actions undertaken by the Ministry of Development in 2025, he said that:

  • In the first months of 2025, the regimes of the development law will be announced with 600 million. EUR aids: of large investments of more than 10 million euros, the border areas and Thessaly and processing.
  • We strengthen the institution of flagship investments even after the end of the RRF at the end of 2025. We include in them the shipbuilding industry, our blue economy that must multiply in GDP, critical raw materials, related to the very security of Europe and the circular economy, which is a key feature of the green transition.

At the same time:

  • The programs of smart manufacturing, the upgrading of the infrastructure of the business parks, research-innovation and overall our investments in research with sums that reach 800 million are being implemented. euro.
  • We have already proceeded with the approval of 271 investment projects throughout Greece with a total budget of 858 million. euro.
  • Businesses will receive 224 million euros as a grant and another almost 178 million euros will be tax exemptions. From these investments it is predicted that 4,420 new jobs will be created.

Special support is given to Thessaly, which has been affected by Daniel, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, while tourism investments are being met to a very large extent in both Crete and the South Aegean, where most requests were submitted.

As he noted, in accordance with the commitments, all the investment plans of the Prefecture of Evros were approved, while, proportionately, investment plans were approved in the rest of the country’s regions that will contribute to their further development.
It is pointed out that for all the investment plans we approved for small and medium enterprises, there is guaranteed access to loan financing with the guarantee of the Greek State from the DELFI fund of the Hellenic Development Bank, said Mr. Theodorikakos.

As far as payments of past investment projects are concerned, on 26/11/2024, the General Secretariat of Private Investments of the Ministry of Development, set a seven-year record, with the total amount of grant payments of the Development Law now amounting to 130 million. euro.

Concluding, Mr. Theodorikakos said that “the economic and development policy is intertwined with the ideas and values ​​of our party. Patriotism, freedom, solidarity. Some call this politics neoliberal and far-right, others centrist or center-right. It is simply the policy that, far from the misleading labels of yesterday, with prudence and responsibility, with a plan and social sensitivity, leads Greece to tomorrow with the greatest possible safety and confidence”.