A critical pillar for the country’s defense industry, with 2,000 jobs secured, investment and prospects for greater collaborations
Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the facilities of the Elefsina Shipyards, a few 24 hours after the passing of the law that opens the door to the consolidation of the company.
As the prime minister stated, from the bombed landscape that existed, it is now a living shipyard, with guaranteed jobs and 200 million euros of investment, but also prospects for even greater collaborations, both with the Navy of our country and with foreign shipyards .
The shipyard workers recognized the government’s plan and addressed the prime minister, telling him that “you have saved 600 families”.
Now, the Elefsina Shipyards are a crucial pillar for the National Defense Industry with guaranteed jobs.
“Today is indeed a very important, a great moment for the Elefsinos Shipyards and I want to start by thanking everyone who worked so that this very important law could be passed, so that today the future of the Elefsinos Shipyards, the future of all the workers at the Elefsinos Shipyards, the future of those who will find work at the Elefsinos Shipyards should be much more optimistic”, noted Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking to the workers at the shipyards, who characteristically replied “600 families you saved”.
“We are here today, state, investor and employees, to celebrate a great day for Elefsinos Shipyards. What we have achieved is to secure all the jobs, get all the back wages, bring almost 200 million in investment to the Shipyard. And to be able to repeat here, on a much larger scale, what I had the opportunity to see being done in Syros. Where four years ago the Shipyard had the image of a bombed out landscape, today, if you visit it, it is a living Shipyard, with ships waiting to be repaired, with satisfied workers and above all satisfied customers. Why do some people send their ships to Syros for repairs and it is inconceivable, it has always been inconceivable to me, how it is possible that a country which has the largest fleet in commercial shipping in the world cannot repair its ships in Greece. This is changing and will change here in Elefsina as well”, added the Prime Minister.
I personally and the government will continue to be close to you
“Many new customers will come, have no doubt about it. I believe that there will also be very important collaborations with large foreign shipyards. And yes, of course, there are Navy programs that are underway and we want these ships to be able to be built in Greece, as other Navy ships were built, of which our Navy today is extremely proud. I am also especially happy every time I talk to our Admirals and they tell us “this ship was built in Greece”, our tankers for example are so seaworthy that they are still a point of admiration for other navies. Friends, we will be able to do the same again here in Elefsina. The water entered the groove. I want you to know that I personally and the government will be close to this ongoing effort. I want you near the Shipyard too. Because I know that first and foremost you love your work and I know that here is not only a salary, but also a dignity, a feeling that you are participating in a great effort which is identified with you, identified with your life, identified with this place, identified with the priority of your families”, emphasized Mr. Mitsotakis.
President of the Workers Union: You gave us our future and our lives
“We got rid of yesterday and the troubles two days ago. You gave us our future and our lives. Mr. Prime Minister, we have the appetite and passion to build our Shipyard from scratch. To repair hundreds of ships the year the new owner will bring us. To build the new ships of the Hellenic Navy on time, within the budget we will agree on, with the unsurpassed quality and know-how we have as employees. To make them trust us again. To build ships of other countries, to emerge as a shipbuilding and technological hub, with a central role in the wider region for the benefit of our homeland. Thank you for everything. You believed in us, that says it all for us. You fulfilled your commitment”, said the president of the Workers’ Union, Nikos Papanikolaou.
A critical pillar for the National Defense Industry, with 2,000 jobs
The revival of the country’s Shipbuilding Industry, through the restart, consolidation and upgrading of the Elefsina Shipyards, will significantly strengthen both the Economy and the geopolitical position of Greece. The Elefsina Shipyards Consolidation Agreement forms a sustainable model for restarting the Elefsina Shipyards, as it includes:
â–ª Direct investment of 170 million dollars.
â–ª Securing all existing jobs (600).
â–ª Debts & compensations of 41 million euros to employees.
â–ª Creation of 1,400 new jobs within 3 years. With the total number of employees reaching 2,000.
â–ª Additional revenue of 1.1 billion euros for the Greek State (direct and indirect taxes, insurance contributions) over the next 25 years.
â–ª Strengthening of the Greek Economy with more than 1.6 billion euros that will be directed to domestic suppliers and Greek Industry.
Based on the above, the mutually beneficial nature of the Agreement and the undeniable boost it will give to employment and the economy of the wider region of Western Attica are confirmed, while at the same time a sustainable solution to the huge problem of the accumulated debts of the Elefsina Shipyards is ensured.
During his visit, the Prime Minister inspected the TPC 7- Missile “Vlahakos” which is being built at the Shipyards and was informed about the capabilities of the ship. He also visited the new beds and the facilities for the pre-fabrication of incisions.
The Prime Minister was accompanied, on behalf of the Government, by the Minister of Development and Investments Adonis Georgiadis, the Minister of National Defense Nikos Panagiotopoulos, the Deputy Minister of Development and Investments Nikos Papathanasis and the deputies of the ND Second West Attica Thanasis Bouras, Evangelos Liakos and Giorgos Kotsiras. The Mayor of Elefsina, Argyris Oikonomou, was also present.
Here is the Prime Minister’s full speech:
Thank you, President, for your kind words. Today is indeed a very important, a great moment for the Elefsinos Shipyards and I want to start by thanking everyone who worked so that this very important law could be passed, so that today the future of the Elefsinos Shipyards, the future of all the workers in Elefsinos Shipyards, may the future of those who will find work at Elefsinos Shipyards be much more optimistic.
Many thanks to the Ministry of Development, to Adonis Georgiadis, to Nikos Papathanasis, to the Minister of National Defense to Nikos Panagiotopoulos, to the Mayor, to all the MPs of Western Attica, who did not give up for a moment in the effort to carry out this extremely complex consolidation plan .
However, I want to say a special thank you to the Union and the workers, because you have shown great trade union responsibility. You have realized that in order for such a sanitization to take place, everyone needs to put a little water in their wine.
And that is why we are here today, state, investor and employees, to celebrate a great day for Elefsinos Shipyards. What we have achieved is to secure all the jobs, get all the back wages, bring almost 200 million in investment to the Shipyard. And to be able to repeat here, on a much larger scale, what I had the opportunity to see being done in Syros. Where four years ago the Shipyard had the image of a bombed out landscape, today, if you visit it, it is a living Shipyard, with ships waiting to be repaired, with satisfied workers and above all satisfied customers.
Why do some people send their ships to Syros for repair and it is unthinkable, it has always been unthinkable to me, how it is possible that a country which has the largest fleet in commercial shipping in the world cannot repair its ships in Greece. This is changing and will change here in Elefsina as well.
Many new customers will come, have no doubt about it. I believe that there will also be very important collaborations with large foreign shipyards.
And yes, of course, there are Navy programs that are underway and we want these ships to be able to be built in Greece, as other Navy ships were built, of which our Navy today is extremely proud.
I am also especially happy every time I talk to our Admirals and they tell us “this ship was built in Greece”, our tankers for example are so seaworthy that they are still a point of admiration for other navies.
Friends, we will be able to do the same again here in Elefsina. The water entered the groove. I want you to know that I personally and the government will be close to this ongoing effort. I want you near the Shipyard too. Because I know that first and foremost you love your work and I know that here is not only a salary, but also a dignity, a feeling that you are participating in a great effort which is identified with you, identified with your life, identified with this place, identified with the advance of your families.
We will be close to you, we will carry out this consolidation and I am sure, my dear President, that you will put into practice what you said: To become the best Shipyard in Europe. Set the bar of ambition high and we will help you reach it.
Be well, good strength and always, always success. Thank you very much.
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