Greece continues to play a leading role on the road to development the prime minister stressed, Kyriakos Mitsotakis , during his opening statement at today’s cabinet meeting. The prime minister announced 1,200 recruitment of firefighters and foresterswhile as he said from the beginning of 2024 new buses will start running in Athens and Thessaloniki. Mr. Mitsotakis, however, also commented on them reactions to the new police IDs, calling on citizens not to become victims of mockery and pointed out that the new ID cards have neither chips nor microphones.

Referring to the bills that will be discussed at the meeting and are expected to be submitted for a vote in the Parliament in the immediate future, he stated that “we have a lot of work ahead of us” and that this is the big call for the government.

“We know that there will be no shortage of obstacles but we will continue to persevere and be consistent in our pre-election program Kyriakos Mitsotakis pointed out.

The Prime Minister referred to recent large fires and reiterated that yesterday’s announcements in Parliament are not intended to hide the weaknesses that have been identified in the field of prevention and early detection, nor to nullify the efforts made in an unequal battle.

Mr. Mitsotakis also made a special mention of climate that prevailed yesterday in Parliament highlighting features “Beyond simple anti-politician crowns, I did not hear any substantiated and costed counter-proposal. It is clear that in the new Parliament we will be alone on the path of responsibility. We assume this responsibility” he said, thus expressing her his disappointment at the presence of the Hellasonian opposition parties.

The Prime Minister referred to important reforms that include the bills under approval during today’s cabinet meeting and specifically in areas such as health through the restructuring of the EKAB operation, justice with the aim of its faster awarding and transport through the modernization of the city bus fleet.

Mr. Mitsotakis gave emphasis on the issuance of new identities criticizing what accompanies this specific process in the public debate: “The new identities have neither chips, nor cameras, nor various other silly things that are heard. Let citizens not become victims of ridicule by rushing to issue old-style IDs” he said characteristically, referring to fake news.

Introductory statement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the meeting of the Council of Ministers

Good day again, ladies and gentlemen, colleagues. Our monthly meeting is held, unfortunately, at shadow of the great test of fires.

In the Parliament, yesterday, we had the opportunity to talk in detail about the adverse conditions that we were called to manage this summerwithout hiding the weaknesses that have been identified, especially in the field of prevention and early detection of fires, using the modern technology. But also without zeroing them enormous efforts that were made and are still being made in an unequal battle, efforts that saved both lives and property.

I believe that we have given answers to unfair accusations and easy myths who often deliberately cultivate a confusion around the Climate crisis. We also had the opportunity to announce a number of initiatives in order to turn today’s negative situation into a better defense for tomorrow. From the immediate supply of new technological equipment in the context of the rapid implementation of the “Aegis” program, new prevention procedures and of course the additional recruitment of 1,200 new firefighters and foresters.

We also informed about compensation process which is accelerated. For the day after the places that were hit, especially Evros, in the standards of the intervention we did, I believe with enough success in Evia.

Unfortunately, apart from simplistic opposition crowns, I did not hear any documented and costed counter-proposal, any substantial and realistic suggestion. It is clear, therefore, I think, that it seems more and more in the new Parliament, that we will be alone on the path of responsibility. We undertake it and we will serve it all together.

Trying, today, to answer a wide range of issues, first meeting after the summer, we have an extremely rich and full agendawhich quickens our steps forward in a number of policy areas in health, at work, in the everyday life of the citizen, in security, in Justice.

The responsible Minister will present them to us shortly first measures which the Ministry has elaborated to improve the operational capabilities of EKAB.

Subsequently, the Minister of Labor will analyze the very important positive changes that are taking place in employment, in European standards. From now on, employees will be able to increase their income with a second job. This, however, will now be legal and insured, without undermining the eight-hour period, nor the obligation of the eleven-hour rest period.

The Minister of Infrastructure and Transport will give us the clear timetable for the renewal of the city bus fleet in Athens and Thessaloniki. From the beginning of 2024, the first 250 electric buses will start to circulate from a total new order in which another 1,050 electric buses and natural gas buses will be added. A very important intervention for her upgrading urban transport in our two metropolises.

The Minister of the Interior will present the reforms to the Local Government Organisations, together with the Deputy, the streamlining of the operation of more than 1,000 legal entities, the School Committees. I would especially like to single out this new concept of establishing public project quality indicators in Municipalities and Regions, so that the performance of local authorities in areas they are responsible for.

Let us, as well as the citizens, know the actions that are being taken in cleaning of plots before each fire season. What do we do with the streams, who cleans them, centrally who is accountable if a stream has not been cleaned. And, of course, in this way and central administration to be able to use the financial tools at its disposal to encourage and discourage specific behaviors.

Important first cutsbecause others will follow, ehthey also come to the field of Justice, with the bill that the competent Minister will present to us. I won’t go into detail now, but it is a first framework of important interventions. Others will follow, since as we have emphasized many times, the acceleration of Justice is a cornerstone reform initiative of this government.

He will speak to us Minister of Citizen Protection a bit more detailed, for one a topic that has occupied a lot of current affairs, not always for good. I am referring to the new identities and the new possibilities they create, with transactions that will be more secure, with documents that cannot be forged and used if stolen. And of course the new identities that will facilitate movements, as they are part of a single European identification system that will become mandatory.

I will not talk here in detail about them fake news trafficked by some shrewd ones. I consider that they are a very small minority of Greek society. ID cards, cameras, microphones, various other things that can be heard don’t even have chips. Let citizens not become victims of mockery and above all let them not rush to get new old-style IDs, as these will soon no longer apply. So they get into this hassle and burden the police departments with an additional red tape.

Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, we have a lot of work ahead of us, it is complex. I believe that the rich agenda we have today means that we worked well over the summer to prepare the relevant legislation. This is our big challenge.

Let me remind you that we have already implemented our important central commitments, essentially 50% of our economic program has already been legislated with the first bill of the Ministry of Finance.

I would like, despite the difficulty and any unhappiness there may be because of the really big fire problem, let’s not forget the big picture, which we will obviously talk about in much more detail next weekend in Thessaloniki.

Greece is still a protagonist on the road to development. Despite persistent food inflation, we have the fourth lowest inflation in Europe. We have the lowest unemployment in many years.

I think these and many more answer those who question our action at the beginning of the new term, while at the same time declaring our insistence on big changes.

We know that there will be no shortage of obstacles in our way, but we will continue to persevereconsistent with our pre-election program. That is why the Greek people voted for us. And of course all of that, as I said, we’ll talk about in much more detail next weekend.