With the message the government received from the results of the European elections, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis began the weekly assessment of the government’s work.

In his usual Sunday post on Facebook, Mr. Mitsotakis emphasized, among other things, that “citizens are asking us to move forward with even greater speed and efficiency in all fields, but primarily in what has to do with their daily lives. And that’s what we’re going to do,” citing a series of measures to address punctuality.

The Prime Minister then referred to the need to digitize the ASEP, with the main goal of speeding up recruitment in the public sector.

In detail, the post of the Prime Minister:

“Good morning everyone! I am returning from today – after a short but forced break due to the European elections – to the habit of the Sunday weekly review of government actions and interventions that I stand out and would like to share with you.

The ballot box may be a thing of the past, but not its message. I know thatthe citizens ask us to move forward with even greater speed and efficiency in all fields, but primarily in those that have to do with their daily lives. And that’s what we’re going to do.

And the first problem society faces in everyday life is none other than accuracy. So with that I will start today’s review. Last week we announced that we are making permanent the previously temporarily reduced VAT rates for taxis and coffee takeaway & delivery. As we already did (ie from 1/1/2024) for transport, gyms, dance schools, cinemas and a number of public health related goods. At the same time, we are extending for another six months, until December 31st, the measures to reduce shelf prices and fight punctuality, and we are strengthening DIMEA with an additional 30 officers for more checks on the market.
As a practical demonstration of social solidarity and fair redistribution of the excess profitability of certain sectors of the economy, we are also imposing a Temporary Solidarity Contribution of 33% on the surplus profits recorded in 2023 by fuel refineries, as we did in 2022. These revenues will be allocated in December for the economic support for pensioners who due to a personal difference will not benefit from the new increase in pensions in January 2025. In addition, a part of the new taxation of surplus profits will also support the National Public Investment Programme.

This week we also saw how the new provisions we recently passed in the criminal code work in practice in favor of victims of domestic violence. With additional procedural interventions we are working on, we can further and more effectively protect victims of domestic violence by preventing them from being re-victimized by the abuser. These interventions will be careful and with respect to the dictates of the rule of law.

I continue with the ASEP which must be synchronized with the digitization of the rest of the state in order to more quickly implement the constitutionally enshrined mission of merit-based staffing of the public sector. We are therefore moving forward with the digitization of the procedures for a faster control of applications, so that the recruitments proceed more quickly as well. Let me give you an example: it will be possible to draw data from services such as Ptyxia.gov.gr and Taxisnet, and thus the certified qualifications of the candidates will be automatically updated, ultimately reducing the time for evaluating applications. Less bureaucracy also means strengthening the prestige of ASEP itself. Our goal within the current term is the recruitments announced as part of the annual planning to be completed within the year, and not as it is done now, which takes two or more years. It goes without saying!

I’m going to Health now to tell you that the previous period was put into operation Digital Repository of Patient Laboratory Tests. What is this; In the MyHealth, the personal electronic file with the medical history of each citizen (which until now included referrals, prescriptions and appointments) is now also registered with the results of laboratory tests, so that the attending physician has all the required information for the management of each incident. No more suffering for the patient looking for and carrying files with diagnoses and medical results.

I stay in the field of public health to tell you that last week the MOU was signed for the implementation of the colon cancer prevention program. This program is aimed at 2.8 million men and women, aged 50-69, and includes everything from a free self-diagnostic test to a free biopsy in case of findings. It is the third consecutive free screening program that we are starting, after the “Fofi Gennimata” program for breast cancer and the program for cervical cancer.

I am changing the subject to tell you that a few days ago we widened the criteria that define vulnerable borrowers, so that they are now included in the protective arrangements for bad loans and people with disabilities. It has been a standing demand of the disability movement that we have implemented and which increases protection for citizens who are truly in need as they try to pay off their debts.

Let’s go out on the streets and talk about the new electric buses that have been added to the urban transport of Athens and Thessaloniki. I wrote to you a month ago that some of them had already started their routes, and the rest will join the fleet of urban buses in Athens and Thessaloniki in June. As it happened. So today all 250 vehicles of this type that we have procured are in operation, while the announcement is being made for the recruitment of 40 drivers for the OASTH.

next topic, the “fee” included in the Stamp Fee, which has been with us for almost a century, and is now being replaced by the digital Transaction Fee, which will be imposed only on contracts and transactions expressly defined in the law. But in many cases it is completely removed, which means less transaction costs.

The day after tomorrow, Tuesday, June 25, the platform opens for applications for the “Thessaly & Evros Pass 2024” total budget of 4.45 million euros. The aim of the program is to support tourism in the areas of Thessaly that were hit by Daniel and Evros that were affected by last summer’s fires. Intangible digital debit cards will cover accommodation, dining and local transport costs. The program has no income criteria and from Tuesday you will be able to apply via vouchers.gov.gr.
Last week we also announced an extension until autumn for those farmers who wish to participate in the GAIA program for cheap predictable electricity prices, as we committed to last winter. With our interventions in agricultural oil, agricultural electricity and also with the lower taxation on animal feed and fertilizers, we support agricultural income and the competitiveness of Greek products in foreign markets.

One and it’s summer, let me tell you that for 10 days Greek vacationers and foreign tourists now have an artificial intelligence Digital Assistant for their vacations in Greece, the mAiGreece. It is a mobile application that provides information about attractions, museums, archaeological sites, beaches, hospitals and health centers, police stations, embassies and consulates of foreign countries. “Speaks” the 24 official languages ​​of the EU. and other 7. In addition, it has an emergency function via 112 key, which will send an SMS to the operations center of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection with the geographical location of the sender. Something like the ChatGPT of tourists in Greece!

I’m staying in the summer season but I’m changing the subject, as well the heat showed us “its teeth” very early on. Unfortunately, all the evidence leads scientists to predict that this summer will be one of the hottest in decades. Firefighters and civil protection forces have been fighting fires every day since almost March, having managed to deal with dozens of dangerous outbreaks before they threaten the lives and property of our fellow citizens. Another 700 forest firefighters have been recruited, the “forest commando” units have increased from 6 to 16 and with 25 state-of-the-art drones surveillance is carried out in the mountainous areas of Attica. I want to implore all citizens to help the national effort to protect our forests, and to follow the instructions especially on high risk days to avoid careless outbreaks. Even a single spark can become dangerous. That’s why we don’t burn grass, we don’t light outdoor grills in places with dry grass, we don’t do work that creates sparks, we don’t throw away lit cigarettes. These instructions may be self-evident to many of you – but unfortunately, we continue to see negligence play its part. That’s why we have to keep repeating it.

I will close today’s review by congratulating them our sportsmen and women for the great honors they achieved at the European Athletics and Aquatic Championships, adding to the national “trophy box” rain of gold, silver and bronze medals as well as pan-Hellenic records. And let’s wish the qualification to the finals of the Olympic Games and to the “official favorite” of all Greeks, the national basketball team! Next stop is France and the Paris Olympics.

With the opportunity to suggest to young and old today, when Olympic Day is celebrated worldwide, to visit the Olympic Museum of Athens in Maroussi to see first of all the Olympic Torch of this year’s Games, but also personal items and medals of Greek Athletes who made us proud and they wrote history for our country. Entry is free for everyone until 6pm. It is truly an amazing museum that has many thrills in store for its visitors.

This is where I will leave you, after thanking you for your time and attention. I hope you have a very beautiful day, and we renew our “date” next Sunday!”