Commenting on the developments in SYRIZA during the political editors briefing, Pavlos Marinakis said that “it is not our job to comment, but today’s developments make us reflect on what was the outcome of all that started years ago that would save Greece, Europe, who demanded everything from everyone and who used nihilism and attacks as their weapons”.

“This is an important lesson about where this tactic has led,” added the government spokesman.

Asked about the Prime Minister’s reference to the internal party problems of the official opposition from the floor of the Parliament and the characterization of a “black Friday party”, Mr. Marinakis stated that Mr. Mitsotakis responded to “a crescendo of nihilism of the opposition”.

The entire opening statement of Mr. Marinakis:

Yesterday, in his speech, the Prime Minister talked about the implementation of the government’s initiatives for the reconstruction of the regions of Thessaly and Evros, as well as dealing with the consequences of the climate crisis.

As he pointed out: “the new conditions now exceed the endurance of the infrastructure that all countries have had to date and ultimately the duty of politics today is to work out new reaction measures and ensure resilience in the face of new challenges”.

“With human life as a priority, we defend the work of thousands of government officials, as well as volunteers, who acted on the front lines.”

The Government has set 3 main priorities:

The most immediate mobilization to save lives in major disasters

Greater assurance of resources for disaster recovery

A comprehensive defense plan in the climate “attack”.

In Evros we are already cooperating with the Democritus University for the restoration of Dadia, for the problem of water management in Thessaly, we have already requested the assistance of a specialized Dutch company and in February we will have the complete Master Plan, while the Thessaly Water Management Agency is being legislated immediately .

The mechanism of state aid, as it has been institutionalized by this Government, is a conquest and certainly a significant progress compared to what happened in the past.

In record time, 120 million euros have already been disbursed and are in the accounts of 33,000 households. The pedigrees continue every week as we are constantly conducting new crosses and new autopsies.

To date, over 36,000 census autopsies and checks have been carried out in 339 communities and regions.

The payment of the rent and cohabitation allowance starts in the next few days with a duration of up to two years.

116,000,000 euros have already been approved to cover 80% of the rehabilitation of each flooded building, while the remaining 20% ​​can be covered with an interest-free loan. At the same time, with a simple procedure and with 100% government aid (without the loan component), damage repairs to houses are covered with amounts up to 22,000 euros.

The Ministry of the Interior has allocated 119,000,000 euros to the local municipalities concerned.

Finally, 2.8 million euros have been granted as special purpose compensation to workers who have joined the regime of suspensions of employment contracts for businesses affected by the floods.

Another 500 million euros will be given to farmers from the state budget, while 260,000,000 euros have already been approved by ELGA. 124 million euros in compensation have already been deposited to the beneficiaries.

For businesses, we are proceeding before the holidays to advance 35% of the compensation from the 70% that will be covered, facilitating their recovery and re-operation.

In consultation with the Shipowners’ Union, 25 schools will be rebuilt.

The cost of repairing damages reaches 3.3 billion euros and will be covered mainly by European funds after the Prime Minister’s talks with the President of the European Commission and the relevant Commissioners.

In addition, the state aid funds are doubled from 300 to 600 million euros, as part of the state budget submitted to the Parliament.

At the same time, we are promoting the rapid implementation of the “Aegis” program, estimating that before the end of the year we will have auctioned projects that will exceed 800,000,000 euros.

In 2024, we will pilot the most modern technologies in the first phase. From drones – which are already being tested – temperature sensors, cameras that will work in archaeological sites in forests.

The 2024 State Budget was submitted to the Parliament, which includes permanent interventions to boost income of 1.6 billion euros for 2024.

Basic features of the Budget are

the exercise of a developmental and at the same time essential social policy, with:

Increases in the salaries of Public Servants

Lifting of the three-year freeze on employees

Increase in the tax-free allowance for families with children

8% increase in the Minimum Guaranteed Income from December 2023

New increase (+ 3%) of pensions from 1/1/2024

2. the permanence of tax reductions. Specifically,

Fixed reduced VAT rate on transport, gyms and dance schools, cinemas and goods related to public health

A 10% reduction in ENFIA for homes insured against natural disasters

Abolition of 30% withholding for working pensioners

3. In addition to making the reduced VAT rate permanent (13%), we extend the reduced VAT rate for the first half of 2024 to cafes and taxis.

Already the empty VAT, i.e. the money lost by the state from the collection of VAT, has been reduced from 23% in 2018 to 15% this year. The goal is to further reduce this gap and reach 9% in 2026.

4. We are promoting actions at many and different levels to limit tax evasion: connection of POS with cash registers in the first months of 2024, mandatory my Data system, generalization of electronic invoicing, new arrangements for short-term rentals, measures to deal with smuggling and new fair tax system for freelancers.

Expenditures for Health and Education are still increasing significantly by 736 million euros.

In particular, there will be a 20% increase in the funding of hospitals for a total amount of 481 million euros, as well as an increase in spending on Education in the amount of 255 million euros.

The Greek economy has proven to be particularly resilient in recent years despite successive crises, often exceeding forecasts. We regained investment grade from a number of international rating agencies, recorded the 3rd highest growth rate (2.4%) in the European Union, recorded a decrease in unemployment, achieved a primary surplus that exceeded the forecasts of the medium-term program and reduced public debt to percentage of GDP.

Following the reduction of over 50 taxes made by the Government in the previous four years, such as the reduction of ENFIA, business tax, advance tax and the abolition of the solidarity levy, we are reducing even more taxes, increasing the tax-free allowance for families with guys, we are removing the 30% penalty on pensioners who want to work.

This is the fixed policy of the Government and we are not going to deviate from it, and because we have committed ourselves to the citizens and also because this policy has substantial results.

Without an increase in taxes, there was a 9.1% increase in revenue, which allows us to channel even more money into improving critical state infrastructure and improving the daily lives of citizens.

Yesterday and the day before yesterday, Greece achieved two more important goals.

Specifically, the European Commission issued its positive assessment of the revised National Recovery and Resilience Plan Greece 2.0, giving the “green light” for its final approval by ECOFIN, in the immediate future.

Now, the revised Greece 2.0 amounts to 36 billion euros, and includes 76 reforms and 103 investments.

In the other important development, yesterday, Greece, through the competent Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis, submitted to the European Commission the third payment request for the loan part of the Recovery and Resilience Fund, amounting to 1.84 billion euros.

The Ministerial Decision was signed for the implementation of the special, green tariff which will come into force from 1.1.2024.

A number of key issues are specified in the Decision. More specifically:

The final commission price will be announced by the first day of each month.

The special invoice may include a fixed commission charge, as well as discounts.

One of its main innovations is that on the consumption bill, the provider will show a single – after calculating any discounts – the final supply price in €/megawatt hour per billing month.

The basic supply price will remain fixed for a minimum of six months, while the fixed supply charge and discounts will be subject to change each month upon notice

Providers are required to publish all tariff parameters of the special tariff, which will apply to each category of customers.

From January 1, 2024, a QR code will be inserted in the consumption bills and in every information message from the providers to their customers so that the consumer can easily compare and choose.

Consumers who do not choose one of the available tariffs will automatically switch to the green tariff. However, they will be able to return to their previous contract with their provider.

The special electricity supply tariff will be offered by the providers and can be selected by the consumers even after 31.12.2024.

Minister of State Stavros Papastavrou went to Albania on Tuesday, where he met with the democratically elected mayor of Heimarra Freddy Beleris, who has been in prison for 7 months.

The support visit was highly symbolic, as it took place in view of yesterday’s trial, which was again postponed to December 5.

As stated by the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, upon his arrival at the Summit of the Berlin Process in Tirana, it is very important that Mr. Beleris be sworn in as Mayor of Heimarra, so that this shadow, which undoubtedly affects Greek-Albanian relations, goes away.

Mr. Papastavrou pointed out that we want the presumption of innocence of Mr. Beleris to be fully respected by the Albanian Justice. A fair solution must be found, within the framework of the European acquis, the rule of law and the good neighborly principle, in order to restore democratic normality in Himarra.

It is the only Municipality in all of Europe, where the elected Mayor is deprived of the right to take the oath, while the disqualified Mayor still exercises power.

The agreement reached in the Middle East for the release of a first group of Israeli hostages, which is combined with a temporary truce absolutely necessary for the provision of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, is something that Greek diplomacy sought from the beginning with all its initiatives , as the Prime Minister mentioned in his speech to the Parliament yesterday.

The Greek Government will continue to be a pillar of peace and stability in the Mediterranean, undertaking important diplomatic initiatives as a reliable interlocutor.

Tomorrow, Friday 24 November, the Prime Minister will meet with the Vice President of Indonesia, Maruf Amin, while

at 10:15 the KYSEA meeting will be held under the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister will be in London from November 26 to 28, a visit during which he will have contacts with investors, members of the Greek diaspora, as well as meetings with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, but also with the leader of the Labor Party Keir Starmer.

The Prime Minister’s schedule will be announced in detail on Monday.