By Penelope Galliou

Now voted on 2024 budget, and having received for the second time, within six months of the national elections, a “vote of confidence” from its 158 members of parliament, the government is already proceeding with its implementation from January 1, unfolding the strategic planning that was committed to the country and aims at two interrelated and interdependent directions: the strengthening of the Greek economy and the continuous improvement of the everyday life of the citizens.

The message sent by the Prime Minister from the floor of Parliament, encapsulating the goals and efforts of his government, it was clear when he stated that “With prudence and realism, every day, step by step, every day should be better than the last”. “And in this light, he observed that the ND is in favor of” the double message of the Budget, which wants an economy that never works independently of society.”

As the government has made clear, already from its previous term and insists even more emphatically during the current one, as long as the course of the Greek economy allows it, the changes that will bring about an improvement in the daily life of the citizens were, are and will remain a priority .

Speaking about the 2024 budget, which is the first of the second government term of the ND, but also the first budget after 14 years that is launched with our country at the investment level, Kyriakos Mitsotakis wanted to make five clear commitments:

– The country should not find itself again in a similar economic adventure to the one it experienced in the last 10 years.
– Greece should never again be placed on the international sidelines, far from Europe.
– With prudence and realism, every day should be better than the last.
– With a united society that will converge with Europe in all fields.
– And a strong state that is constantly modernizing and will win the bets of the times.

“Our goal is to converge more with the EU in all indicators within 2024. We want where we can be protagonists in Europe and we will achieve it,” the prime minister said. He wanted to emphasize the supra-party and national character of a series of measures and arrangements included in the budget
stressing that “the Budget (is) of the State, not of a party” and called on the parties to agree “even on some basic assumptions, on the need to give these increases that the Budget supports to civil servants, on the prioritization of spending on education and health. And if we can finally meet this national goal of greater growth with less unemployment and with orderly public finances, because that has been the great success of our economic policy.” Mr. Mitsotakis commented on the attitude of the opposition parties, observing that “It cannot be recognized everywhere, from abroad, by all international rating agencies, by all serious analysts, that Greece has achieved a great achievement these in the last four years in relation to where its economy was and only here, in the National Parliament, nothing from this positive effort is recognized and everything is presented black and white”.

The prime minister chose to start his speech on the 2024 budget, with the fact that for the government it is a “station” for the positive reversal of the data for the Greek economy, the recovery of the investment grade. “It marks an intersection in historic time, as this upgrade has been a national goal that I personally committed here a year ago to be achieved within 2023 and so it has been. Through a trust-based State plan,” he underlined.

He pointed out that trust begets trust. Trust between countries but also trust between the State and citizens, as demonstrated by the last elections, he said and emphasized, is what is hidden behind the numbers that constitute the identity of today’s economic policy. He mentioned the growth rate which is 2.4% and the drop of unemployment below 10%, the reduction of public debt, the strengthening of investments and exports, as well as the increase of the average wage over 15%.

“The investment grade for some may mean nothing. But in essence it says everything because in internal life it seals the end of foreign supervision and abroad it sends the message that the era of national unreliability has definitively passed,” he stressed.

In the context of the government’s emphasis on improving everyday life in all its aspects, the Prime Minister made special reference to dealing with chronic pathologies, “with decades of roots through a bold wave of reforms and alongside a clear timetable of visible projects, with results that they will convince that these goals yes, they can become reality”.

He emphasized that he does not want to beautify any image, but is here to counter the opposition’s doomsday. “We must shield society with dykes against extraordinary difficulties. We need to increase disposable income by reducing inequalities and expanding rights. That is why the changes in our daily life are changes that become a priority for our government by providing decent health, modern education, strong defense and security, a flexible and digital state but also faster and more effective justice” and all these as he pointed out have as foundation of “a dynamic, outward-looking economy, with clear objectives described in the Budget”.