The government spokesman, Giannis Oikonomou, left today an open window for the possibility that the next round of exploratory contacts will not take place during the briefing of the political authors.
“Nothing has changed at the moment, but everything is being evaluated,” he said.
He added that the provocation in Ankara reflects the nervousness that exists in the neighboring country due to its internal problems.
The defense of the country is a priority and an end in itself, commented Mr. Oikonomou regarding the step of Athens in Ankara. He noted that the communication of the Prime Minister with the Minister of Foreign Affairs is constant, the country calmly and resolutely faces every challenge.
For Carter text
“The text of Mr. Karteros co-signed by Mr. Polakis, with which Mr. Tsipras allegedly does not agree with everything, was seen by the shame and was ashamed. “As anyone who supports such things should be ashamed, as anyone who is politicized with hate speech should be ashamed,” said Mr. Economou.
Asked if the government plans to give Extraordinary bonus at Easter He replied that the bonus policy is not a way out, we do not govern with gifts.
Energy crisis
The energy crisis is pan-European and imported, said government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou, while briefing political authors, noting that with government interventions “Greece has the seventh cheapest retail price in the EU-27”.
Responding to the official opposition’s criticism of lignite, he said Greece was still producing electricity from lignite and that all the factories that had closed had completed their scheduled operating hours.
“This production is no longer the cheapest,” said Mr. Economou, adding that a cheap solution would be renewable energy sources.
However, he said that PPC was devalued due to the policies of the SYRIZA government in previous years. “If this had not been done, the production of energy from RES would have progressed,” said Mr. Economou.
The introductory position of Mr. Economos
International contacts of the Prime Minister
As part of the multifaceted active diplomacy implemented by our Government, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is in Brussels today to participate in the 6th European Union-African Union Summit. In a short time he will take part in an informal meeting of the members of the European Council on the latest developments in Ukraine.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister was in Belgrade, where he met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. The two leaders reaffirmed the excellent Greek-Serbian relations and discussed priorities across the spectrum of bilateral relations, with an emphasis on foreign policy and the economy.
The Prime Minister briefed the Serbian President on the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the return of Turkey to aggressive rhetoric, as well as provocative actions that violate international law. He thanked Mr. Vučić for his firm support in the efforts to end the illegal Turkish occupation in Cyprus and reiterated that Athens wants to see in the United Europe all the capitals of the Western Balkans, of course Belgrade first.
Tomorrow, Friday, the Prime Minister will be in Munich and will take part in the annual Security Conference.
reduction of unemployment
Our government continues to implement its plan to increase disposable income and improve the quality of life of citizens. A particularly positive and optimistic element is the continuing decline in unemployment, which is achieved through the efficient policies we have set out.
According to the Labor Force Survey of ELSTAT, which was published yesterday, unemployment in December 2021 fell to 12.8% from 17.2% in the summer of 2019. At the same time, the number of employees exceeded the limit of 4 million and amounted to 4,075,808 people, an increase of 188,872 people compared to December 2020. Of great importance is the fact that the unemployment rate of 2021 fell more in percentage points for women and especially for young people.
These are the results of the policy pursued by the Government. It is the policies that bring new investments and in fact with rhythms that make our country a world champion, it is the reduction of taxes and insurance contributions, it is the abolition of the solidarity contribution in the private sector, it is the implementation of the program for the creation of 100 thousand new jobs expanded for an additional 50 thousand this year, are the programs of OAED, thanks to which in the period of the pandemic, in only 18 months, 50,000 jobs were created for, while for this year new programs are being launched for the employment of unemployed reaching 86,000 , with an emphasis on young people, women and the long-term unemployed, is the “First Seal” program for young people aged 18 to 29, with the aim of gaining work experience that will cover up to 35,000 cases of young people looking for work.
For EFKA
EFKA has been collecting, for many years, 48% of citizens’ complaints concerning the wider public sector. Simply put, this means inconvenience and long delays in awarding pensions, a crucial issue for hundreds of thousands of people. This situation can not continue. This situation can not be prolonged.
Consistent in the line of facilitating the daily life of the citizen and maximizing the efficiency of the State, we are voting today in Parliament on the bill for the modernization of EFKA. This promotes a bold reform by our Government that aims to put an end to the suffering of 6.5 million insured and retirees, to ensure their immediate service, their dignified treatment by EFKA and to have a faster award of pensions.
For the epidemiological situation and protection measures
Following a proposal by the Infectious Diseases Committee, it was decided to further relax the protection measures. Specifically decided:
-The lifting of the ban on standing entertainment.
-Increasing the occupancy of the stadiums to 50%.
-The application of telework in the private and public sector at 20%.
The new measures will take effect on Saturday 19 February.
It was also decided to start -from the date of issuance of the Joint Ministerial Decision- daily educational excursions, teaching and educational visits, school walks.
From March 1, school trips or visits that include overnight stays can take place. The accompanying teachers and students who will participate in these excursions will perform a rapid test 48 hours before departure, while during the excursion they will do the required weekly tests.
For electricity prices
Because Mr. Tsipras, taking advantage of the ongoing international crises in energy, climate and consumer goods, is trying to plunge the country into a climate of instability and doubt, even undermining efforts to strengthen national security, it is necessary, with calm and perseverance. , to see where we are, in relation to the international environment. These crises are pan-European and imported, since the EU is not energy self-sufficient, so its intervention in the effort to squeeze prices is insufficient. Greece, individually, as a small energy market, does not by itself have a great potential to influence the prices we buy natural gas.
With regard to lignite, Greece continues to produce electricity from lignite, in the context of EU policy. had already been planned by the previous Government. But generating electricity from lignite is no longer the cheapest, due to international environmental legislation. In December, when gas prices were at their highest, electricity production from natural gas cost almost as much as production from lignite.
Fossil fuel dependence is a priority policy for the whole EU. and all countries comply. It is a mythology that circulates about exceptions. In Germany, for example, many lignite plants and nuclear power plants have been shut down, investing in RES, of which it already produces 60% of its energy.
Simply put, if we insisted on producing electricity from lignite, because of international law and reality, because of the obligations that bind us, we would pay more for electricity than today. The paraphilology about lignite is similar to the mythologies of 2015 for exit from the euro, parallel payment system and loans from third countries. The only solution perspective for economies of scale in terms of our country is the rapid expansion of RES, investment in our national fuels, the sun and the air.
The PPC in 2019, as a result of the inaction of SYRIZA, it was then found one step before the bankruptcy. If then SYRIZA had not been inactive due to ideologies and lack of technocratic knowledge, the production of electricity from RES would have gone even further and PPC, possibly, would have greater possibilities today to squeeze prices. The country was then energized. This is a reality, it is an indisputable fact. Under the SYRIZA government, international energy prices were not at the levels they are today, they were at low levels, so that Government did not need to manage a tariff crisis. Nevertheless, increases in tariffs were made as publicly said by the then head of the PPC. Mr. Panagiotakis, but also the company reached the brink of bankruptcy.
Today, the PPC is on a recovery trajectory that allows it, within the limits of international law, to squeeze prices as much as possible. In simple words, if the PPC had not recovered under our plan, we would have more expensive electricity prices and the risk of many blackouts. This is a fact confirmed.
The crisis in the energy market is unprecedented. The whole of Greek society, families, businesses, farmers, we are facing the consequences of this crisis that bring big increases in our accounts. The same thing happens everywhere in the world around us. No country and no policy can nullify these increases.
However, as a result of the consolidation of PPC. , but also of the aid provided by the Government, aid that so far is close to 2 billion and will continue as long as the energy crisis lasts, Greece currently has the 7th cheapest retail price in Europe of 27. This is proven by surveys of international organizations. I want to repeat it: Greece because of the policy of PPC. and Government Aid is currently the 7th cheapest retail price in Europe of 27.
Therefore, without ignoring the enormous difficulties, looking at the truth, the analysis of reality based on data and measurable data, we can tell the world that our country does most of most European countries to stand by them. It does most of most European countries to protect measurably and effectively, households and businesses.
The 7th cheapest price at the retail price of electricity in Europe of 27 is not a panacea nor is it something negligible, but it is the result of strong political will, planning and possibilities that we have because of the policy and the plan that we implemented. We will continue in the same direction, creating other policies for the protection of society, without, of course, disturbing the general stability and the perspective of the country. And this is because Greece, in 2019, finally closed its ears to the sirens of populism, the irresponsible promises that led it in the past to the wreckage of international disrepute and to unnecessary and painful memoranda as it happened in 2015. In this course and in this the situation will not return.
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