Article of the Deputy Minister in addition to the Prime Minister and Government Representative Pavlos Marinakis hosted today (1/9) in the newspaper Daily Sunday under the title “The Biggest Hit and the Two Big Bets.”

Among other things, he states that “it is our obligation until 2027 to continue on the path of development reforms marked by social justice, in order to cover the remaining distance until we approach – or even surpass in some areas – the European average. And we will make it. Without big mouths, but with hard work, vision and perspective, for all citizens”.

The following is the text of Mr. Marinakis:

After five years of ND government, we have, fortunately, escaped from the debate that dominated the crisis years in the country, which boiled down to the phrase “to which country will we immigrate to find a job”.

This image has now been reversed.

400,000 new jobs were created and 310,000 of them with better salaries. Unemployment fell, for the first time after 14 years, to a single-digit percentage, to 9.6%, and indeed in the most sensitive indicators: youth and female unemployment. In 2019, women’s unemployment was 21.8% and today the percentage reaches 12.2%. While, among the ages up to 24, in 2019 unemployment was 39.1% and today it is 22.5%.

This success has threefold value: First, the self-evident, that 400,000 of our fellow citizens found work. Second, that through the taxes they pay from their new work, the government expands its revenue without raising tax rates.

Third, the continued decline in unemployment is another important driver of average wage growth, since prospective workers are in a better bargaining position.

All this was not done with a magic wand, but with specific policies.

The Mitsotakis government reduced and continues to reduce tax rates for everyone. We reduced or abolished more than 50 taxes amounting to 7 billion euros: From the permanent abolition of the special solidarity levy for all, and the permanent reduction of ENFIA by 35%, to the reduction to 55% from 100% of advance tax.

We progressed rapidly with the digitization of the state. Through gov.gr, 1,500 digital services make the lives of citizens and businesses easier.

We also reduced the fundraising tax from 0.5% to 0.2% and a 50% reduction in the stock exchange tax.

Through these policies, we managed to have a record high in exports of goods and services of 55 billion euros, but also achieved a 20-year record in foreign direct investment of 7.22 billion euros, attracting giant companies such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon , Pfizer.

Today, however, the dominant debate in our country is focused on how businesses will be able to find workers.

So, we have before us the first big bet: To be able to fill the job gap.

According to ELSTAT, in the first quarter of this year, job vacancies increased by 115.6% compared to last year, showing that demand is now much higher.

It is our duty, therefore, to continue with a development logic to create new, even better-paid jobs, using tools through European programs such as the Recovery Fund, to attract workers. At the same time, with individual interventions, to rationalize the way the unemployment benefit is paid, so that it continues to be paid, of course, but really takes hold and does not constitute a disincentive for someone to find a job.

A second bet is the further increase of citizens’ incomes.

We have already increased, for the first time after 14 years, salaries in the State and pensions after 12 years. Since 2019, we have increased the minimum wage by 27.7% to €830 while the average wage has increased by 20.2%.

And by the way, the best answer to the myths peddled by the opposition is the Eurostat data which shows that in Greece, the average hourly wage was 15.7 euros in 2023, compared to 13.8 euros in 2020. It increased cumulatively by 13 .77%, while the EU of 27 showed a cumulative increase of 11.97%. Thus our country approached the European average, occupying 20th place.

Our declared goal remains in 2027 to have a minimum salary of 950 euros and an average salary of 1,500 euros.

The time when unemployment was the biggest problem and the country’s bankruptcy was just around the corner has passed. The progress made in the last five years is reflected in all indicators and is recognized internationally. We do not forget that it was primarily a conquest of the Greek citizens.

We have even more bets to win ahead of us, so celebrations are in order. We continue to work to improve everyone’s life and make the Greece we deserve a reality.

Our obligation is, until 2027, to continue on the path of development reforms marked by social justice, in order to cover the remaining distance until we approach – or even surpass in some areas – the European average. And we will make it. Without big mouths, but with hard work, vision and perspective, for all citizens.