“Neither relationships, nor politics, should be based on lies”: Mitsotakis remembers a song by Christine McVie

“Neither relationships, nor politics, should be based on lies, no matter how sweet they sound, no matter how small or big they are,” the prime minister points out Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the weekly account of government work on Facebook, remembering a related song (“Little Lies”) by Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac who died recently.

Regarding the weekly report of the government’s work, the prime minister notes, among other things, that the first positive news is that inflation in November fell to 9% from 9.5% in October and 12.1% in September, the imposition of a 90% levy on the surplus of electricity producers, the “Household Basket” and the reduction of unemployment in October to 11.6%, but also the increases in the salaries and benefits of its doctors YOU.

The post of Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Facebook in detail

“Recently, a colleague of mine wondered what we would do if the week came when we didn’t have extensive government work to show. What will we write then? So far I confess I’m not worried about that – I’m more concerned that the texts are getting bigger instead of smaller, and that might reduce people’s interest. But whether that happens or not, I see that many of you really appreciate this more direct way of communication, and I want to thank you again for taking some time out of your Sunday to read this post.

So let’s see together what steps were taken last week, starting with the economy. The first positive news is that inflation in November fell to 9% from 9.5% in October and 12.1% in September. So today Greece is one unit below the Eurozone average, and below countries such as Portugal, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Austria. Of course, inflation is still very high, but it is positive that it is decreasing.

However, it continues to put a lot of pressure on disposable income, and right now our first priority is to support society in this difficult time. This effort includes the imposition of a 90% levy on the surplus income of electricity producers. So this week, the amount of 373.5 million euros for the period October 2021 – June 2022 was confirmed by the competent authorities to be collected until 31 December 2022. In total, from July to November, profits of approximately 1.35 billion have been withheld .euro from the electricity production companies. Why is this important? Because those resources go towards the subsidy you see each month on your electricity bills.

Of course, the high cost of energy has also dragged down the cost of super market products. This is what we are trying to address with the “Household Basket”, which has surprised many with its efficiency, as 94.7% of the products in the “Basket” have reduced or fixed prices. But we recognized that food categories should also be included for our diabetic fellow citizens, who make up 10% of the country’s population. That happened this week. And very soon we will announce the “holiday basket”.

If the above concerns the management of the inflation crisis and the support of society, what follows has to do with improvements and reforms in important sectors but also positive news that comes as a result of methodical work.

Such news is the reduction of unemployment in October to 11.6% and the addition of 99,900 jobs within a year. The Greek economy, in order to recover, had a great need to become more extroverted. To attract investments, to increase exports, to reduce the bureaucracy that bothers citizens and businesses. This has always been the goal of the reforms we have undertaken: to have a competitive, prosperous economy that will create many good jobs.

However, the multi-year economic crisis did not leave only the wound of unemployment. It also left the National Health System without support for years. And in this matter it is important to tell the whole truth: our doctors do not have the salaries they should have. This has created a tendency to flee to the private sector, which if continued will have a very negative impact on NHS health services. It is our duty to raise their wages, and that is exactly what we are doing.

That is why this week we also legislated increases in doctors’ salaries and allowances, which will be retroactive from 28 June 2022. In addition, from January there will be an additional increase in the hospital allowance of doctors who serve in ICUs, a monthly allowance for doctors who they serve in TEPs, in emergency rooms and in anesthesiologists who serve in anesthesia departments. In addition, we have legislated the possibility that full-time doctors working in NHS hospitals can, under strict conditions that will not affect their work in hospitals, operate a private practice or provide services to private health centers. I have heard a lot about this decision. But I want to say it clearly: if we did not take this decision, we would lose the best doctors of the National Health Service. I wonder, wouldn’t that be a downgrade of the NHS? Didn’t we have a duty to do everything in our power to stem this drain of good doctors and start again attracting good scientists to the NHS? Should we incentivize doctors to return from abroad? Isn’t this, after all, a real upgrade of the National Health System?

Speaking of health, thanks to the policy of closed negotiations we achieved for the first time a large saving in pharmaceutical expenditure for the state – 440 million euros (340 million for EOPYY and 100 million for Hospitals) without any reduction in the quality of treatments and without a medicine is removed from the EOPYY list. Our policy is “the best medicine at the cheapest price”.

My Home, the affordable housing scheme for young people, also went into consultation this week. I think this is very important and we will say more about it when it is voted on.

But speaking of young people (and not only!) and life plans, a new digital service is worth mentioning: the issuance of a civil marriage license within 7 working days through gov.gr. The newlyweds will be able to complete all the procedures for the civil marriage easily, quickly and without unnecessary paperwork. One major hassle less.

Here I would like to make two additional references:

Friday was World AIDS Day and I visited and talked with our HIV-positive fellow citizens at the Greek HIV-positive association “Positive Voice”. I have referred to the support interventions we have implemented in this matter. But what I want to share is how much I was moved by their testimonies during my visit.

If you want, check out the short 5 minute video from the post about this visit from two days ago. It’s worth listening to their words.

The second point, and I know that I will embarrass him by making a personal reference to him, is to refer to G.G. of Social Solidarity and Combating Poverty, Giorgos Stamatis.

Giorgos, an immovable interlocutor and supporter of our fellow human beings who are often on the sidelines, constantly brings us into contact with issues and challenges that often do not see the light of day and reveals malfunctions and problems that afflict the weakest. The bottom line is this: It is the duty of anyone who governs to listen, investigate, learn and solve problems especially for those who have no voice to be heard: this is true progressivism. Not the words.

From today’s recap, I’ve left out several points:

The draft law for the establishment of a school for judicial officers, the facilitation of Greeks abroad to have access to the gov, the new contract of the Attica road which from 2024 will provide for a reduction of tolls, not because they are less important than the above but because I am already abusing it Your Sunday time.

Somewhere here we have almost reached the end of this post!

One last thing: Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac passed away last week. And for those of my generation, you know what a landmark band they are. So I dedicate to you a great hit written by this great artist, “Little Lies”.

His lyrics impetuously ask “tell me sweet little lies”, but every time I hear it I think that neither relationships, nor politics, should be based on lies, no matter how sweet they sound, no matter how big or small they are.

It’s also a great song.”

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