By Penelope Galliou

The party machinery ahead of the European elections is slowly heating up the Maximos Palace and the prime minister, with the main “fuel” being the promotion and implementation of the government’s social policy, which he has committed to in the national elections and is launching from the first moment of his re-election.

With priority always remaining the daily life of the citizen and its improvement, the government insists on putting in front of it every problem that aggravates it and makes it difficult with the main, all the last time the accuracy that affects all households. After all, Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself, in his regular weekly post, again left open the possibility of taking new measures if necessary, as has repeatedly happened every time a problem or a distortion that needs to be addressed arises and is identified.

Knowing in Megaros Maximos that the government will be judged based on the work it will demonstrate and its effectiveness, they continue to throw the burden of every effort and initiative in this direction. “The consistency of words and actions is what builds relationships of trust with the citizens” is the opinion expressed by Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself, considering that this was one of the reasons that led the ND to its sweeping re-election in the national elections.

In this light, the social policy of relief for special categories or vulnerable citizens is also of great importance, such as the increase in the birth allowance by 400 to 1,500 euros, depending on the number of children and with retroactive effect from 1/1/2023, which was announced yesterday and is, as government sources commented, “tangible proof that without budgetary excesses but with savings, support will continue for those who need it”.

And this measure, after all, is another measure against accuracy, which comes to be added to a series of other government initiatives that started from the previous term of the government already, such as the household basket, the market pass or the fuel pass, the increased controls but also the increased fines that are imposed more and more in cases of profiteering, the profit ceiling for baby milk, etc.

And the specific measure, however, which will give a first breath to new parents, comes to be added to a series of other additional measures that were also addressed to new parents and started to be implemented from the new year, such as the increase in tax-free allowance for families with children, the increase maternity allowance for freelancers and farmers, the establishment of a social electricity tariff for many children, the increase of family allowance for civil servants, etc.

“All this shows not only the sensitivity of the Government, but also that we have an economy whose engine has come forward. And that is why we are able to implement these kinds of policies. The extra support to thousands of new parents is a message that a serious economic policy can also lead to a more substantial social policy” stated the Minister of Finance Kostis Hatzidakis, giving the stamp of the trajectory on which the government seeks to move, as long as the state of the economy allows it.

Speaking at the Economist conference “The World Ahead 2024”, Mr. Hatzidakis and developing the three axes of the economic policy for the current year, noted that the policy practiced until now had three axes: The consistent fiscal policy, the pro-development reforms and the exercise of effective and fair social policy. “This is how we will continue in 2024”, he pointed out, confirming the intentions and commitments of the government.

In this climate, the prime minister already last week informally declared the pre-election period on the way to the European elections, which will be the first political test of the second government term of the ND. More and more often, in the next period, Kyriakos Mitsotakis will seek contact and communication with the citizens, carrying out mini-tours not only within Attica but little by little also outside. In fact, on January 31, his visit to the opening of the Amvrakia Road, which puts an end to the inconvenience of commuting between Lefkada and Preveza, is planned, and immediately after the opening, it is not excluded that he will be in a nearby area, while in the same way he will accompany his obligations within Attica.