Mitsotakis in Ropes: Talks of the air about the renegotiation of the Recovery Fund

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had a meeting with the Vice President of the Commission Margaritis Schina at the Maximos Palace.

“We are at the forefront of disbursements having submitted a coherent plan whose benefits concern the entire Greek society”, said Kyriakos Mitsotakis regarding the National Recovery Plan and Resilience while focusing on the excellent level of cooperation during the last three years with the Vice-President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schina. “I think we have achieved a lot in these three years in extremely adverse conditions,” Mr. Mitsotakis emphasized at the start of the meeting.

Talks “in the air” about renegotiation of the Fund

“I want to make it clear that the way of revising the Recovery Fund is determined by the founding act of the fund itself. Talks in the air about the renegotiation of the Fund with a law and an article should not be heard, because once again they mislead the Greek public opinion and create expectations which are completely unfounded”, added the Prime Minister

“We are indeed in the “Champions League” of the Recovery Fund. I believe we will have good news tomorrow from Brussels on this matter. Another equally important matter is the approval earlier this week of the national plan, the Greek plan for the new CAP amounting to 13.6 billion euros”, emphasized Mr. Schinas, adding finally that “the conclusion is that in all of these, Greece is at the heart of European affairs and Europe is the protagonist in all of these. I think this is the safest lesson of the three years.”

The dialogue Mitsotakis – Ropes:

Mr. Mitsotakis: Welcome Mr. Vice-President, once again and I am happy because it is three years since you assumed your duties as Vice-President of the Commission.

It is an opportunity to take stock. I want to thank you once again for the excellent level of cooperation. I think we have achieved a lot in these three years under extremely adverse conditions. If I had to pick one moment when Europe really stood up and exceeded expectations – not just rose to the occasion but exceeded the expectations we had for the European response – it would be the Recovery and Resilience Fund. From which Greece, moreover, is greatly benefited. I am particularly pleased that we are still at the forefront of disbursements having submitted a coherent plan whose benefits concern the entire Greek society.

I believe that at this very good level of cooperation we will continue, facing of course all the other challenges, many of which concern your own portfolio and the issues of immigration, geopolitical challenges, the European Way of Life, the security that we must to provide European citizens. These are all things that we have discussed at great length and in which we expect Europe to be even more active.

M. Schinas: Thank you very much Mr. President for the welcome.

Indeed, these three years of the von der Leyen Commission were unreal years. The kind of threats we faced were unprecedented and at some point the time will come to publicly say some of the discussions-decisions we made in these three years, in which you were directly involved under dramatic circumstances.

I remember the crisis in Evros, the fire in Moria, but all these crises and the management of the pandemic and the Recovery Fund made us more resilient, much stronger, much more effective. I am coming today to inform you about four European construction sites that directly concern Greece, the main one of which is the ante portas approval of the 2nd tranche for the Recovery Fund of the Greek plan.

We are indeed in the “Champions League” of the Recovery Fund. I believe we will have good news tomorrow from Brussels on this matter. Another equally important issue is the approval earlier this week of the national plan, Greece’s plan for the new €13.6 billion CAP. This is a new revolution for farmers in Greece. Of course, some adjustments will be needed since the new CAP has a very clear environmental label, but I believe we will succeed.

The third is that in parallel with our own meeting, the Energy Ministers are discussing for the first time the cap on natural gas with a proposal on the table, something that you personally worked on, but on Tuesday we finally managed to put a proposal on the table. Here I am optimistic that for next winter we will have this tool in our hands.

And, finally, the immigration issue that continues to concern us. I will meet the Minister shortly to review. Tomorrow we have an extraordinary meeting of the Ministers of Immigration in Brussels.

The conclusion is that in all of this Greece is at the heart of European affairs and Europe is the protagonist in all of this. I think this is the safest lesson of the three years.

Mr. Mitsotakis: Yes, let me just say a word about the issues of the Recovery Fund.

We have done a very serious and thorough job so that we have submitted a plan which is structured. The benefits of which should be reaped by the entire Greek society.

I want to make it clear that the manner of review of the Recovery Fund is determined by the founding act of the fund itself. Consequently, talk of renegotiation of the Fund with a law and an article should not be heard because once again they mislead Greek public opinion and create expectations which are completely unfounded.

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