Among others, the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and a government representative spoke about the three policy pillars for dealing with punctuality, Pavlos Marinakisspeaking at the 9th Delphi Economic Forum.

Noting that punctuality is the biggest problem facing every Greek woman and man, Mr. Marinakis highlighted the three pillars of policy to deal with it: First, permanent measures to increase income. “What have we achieved? While cumulative inflation is 14% by the end of ’23, the average wage has increased 19% – 20%, about 20%. While cumulative inflation as we speak is 16.5%, the bottom salary to have increased by 27%,” he said. Second, fines. “Greece had the so-called DIMEA, is the market control service, which was a “ghost” service. In ’20 it was established and started to do checks and fines. The fines are mainly imposed so that there are rules and they are applied and of course they are multiples of the profit”, he said and thirdly, the targeted measures, with a typical example, baby milk, “for the real prices on the shelf so that the discounts are substantial and not formal”, as he noted. When asked about the “baskets”, he pointed out that they are not a panacea and that the benefit policy is not a priority, highlighting the great importance of social benefits. “We will keep it, we will maintain it, for example disability benefits, in supporting people who need to find a job, i.e. no social allowance will be cut. But the extraordinary interventions in our policy mix now that inflation is starting and de-escalating, will only be when there is a great need,” he said, adding that the emphasis will be on continued increases in incomes, pensions, wages, minimum wage with the three-year unfreeze. “In supporting the family, one of our most important projects, dealing with the demographic that is also the roof,” he noted. “, he said characteristically.

Speaking about the charged public debate, Mr. Marinakis referred to the important issues of the citizens, wondering at what percentage they are being discussed. “The role of the Opposition is to control, to counter-propose, to make severe political criticism with counter-proposals. Everyone does what they want. We have a democracy, I express what I believe should be the opposition,” he noted, after he had spoken about the measures he himself had announced in the last 15 days: “I will begin with a very quick reflection. Possibly, I will also tell you my pain too, allow me the exaggeration of the expression. I have the honor to represent the Government and the Prime Minister. And I will tell you only in the last 15 days or so, I may say many, I have made the following announcements with the duty to make them. The increase of the minimum wage to 830 euros, i.e. higher as a percentage than the very high precision. A very important campaign on school bullying that touches all aspects. The new judicial charter, which reduces justice delivery times by 450 days, 30%. “Renovate-Rent” which concerns many people who want to find a home. The signing of the new Migration Pact, which adopts important Greek proposals. The fact that we now enter the stadiums together with the cameras and with personalized tickets, therefore, what we have said applies. That the current for the third month in a row has decreased to pre-crisis levels – I can talk for a long time – the Tourism for All Program,” he said.

He also noted that there is something very dangerous lurking about the issue of the rule of law, as when the Commission says in its report that Greece has taken important steps, certain political groups appear, as he said, as if by magic, and sign a resolution that supposedly the rule of law is challenged. “We never went to Europe to ask for money to be cut because it does not belong to any party but to the Greeks. Some things go beyond partisan confrontation”, noted Mr. Marinakis.