Twelve taxes will still be reduced in the 2025 budget, and this trend will continue in 2026 and 2027, Kyriakos Mitsotakis from Nafplion pointed out on Monday. “The country, in terms of national economic performance indicators, is undoubtedly moving in the right direction, with growth rates much higher than the European average, with unemployment down to 9.3% – we have created almost 500,000 jobs in the last five years – , with tourism going from record to record, with our exports, the exports of the products of the Greek land increasing year after year. All of these are achievements that allow us to look to the future with optimism,” noted the Prime Minister.

Regarding the elections in the USA, Mr. Mitsotakis emphasized that regardless of the result, the geopolitical maturation of Europe is today the big issue. “Here you see how the decisions that are taken in Brussels are ultimately very important for what happens in all member states, and in our country, at the national and regional level.”

“Look at the recent devastating floods, which I really think shocked us all, in Valencia, Spain, with an undetermined, unfortunately, even today number
dead, with enormous destruction. We know that the climate crisis will intensify in the coming years and Europe must be ready with financial tools that also concern our adaptation to the climate crisis: the better use of water resources, the anti-flood projects that must be done, but also the actions civil protection” underlined Mr. Mitsotakis.

“I want to remind you that 2.1 billion euros are being spent by the Greek Government so that we can essentially transform the civil protection infrastructure, so that we can deal with exactly such weather phenomena.

And in our country, “112”, which unfortunately is still used today by some, in the context of their oppositional estrus, is what saves lives. Because there are, unfortunately, weather phenomena that surpass even the most modern infrastructures. And in this case the first, non-negotiable concern of any organized state is the saving of human life. All this will concern us in Europe, regardless of what happens in the American elections. That is why I insist so much on the need for Europe to invest in its strategic autonomy,” he said.

The detailed statements of Kyriakos Mitsotakis from Nafplion:

“Let me emphasize once again the very great importance we attach to the concept of double convergence.

“In terms of national economic performance indicators, the country is undoubtedly moving in the right direction, with growth rates much higher than the European average, with unemployment down to 9.3% – we have created almost 500,000 jobs in the last five years – , with tourism going from record to record, with our exports, the exports of the products of the Greek land increasing year after year. All of these are achievements that allow us to look to the future with optimism.

“And in fact, if you think about what is happening in other European countries at this time, you will really think that what we have achieved in terms of the restructuring of the Greek economy is extremely important. Look at countries like France or Britain, strong economies that are now forced to resort to tax increases, significant tax increases, to correct fiscal imbalances.

“We have proven that we can combine high growth rates with further tax cuts. Twelve taxes will still be reduced in the 2025 budget and this course will continue in 2026 and 2027. Therefore, we must preserve this good course of the economy but also ensure that this course will have, as we said, a reflection in regional and at the local level.

»We have unprecedented financial tools at our disposal: the Recovery Fund, with 36 billion euros, which I personally negotiated in Brussels in 2020, the new NSRF, the Rural Development Programme. But the question is how all these tools will work and coordinate together for the benefit of local communities.

“And of course, let me close with a reference to the great event of the next few days which is none other than the American elections, which will take place tomorrow. Regardless of the outcome, the geopolitical maturation of Europe is today the big question. Here you see how the decisions that are taken in Brussels are ultimately very important for what happens in all the member states, and in our country, at the national and regional level.

»Why am I saying this? Look at the recent devastating floods, which I think really shocked us all, in Valencia, Spain, with an undetermined, unfortunately, even today death toll, with massive destruction.

“We know that the climate crisis will intensify in the coming years and Europe must be ready with financial tools that also concern our adaptation to the climate crisis: the better use of water resources, the anti-flood projects that must be done, but also the civil protection actions.

“I want to remind you that 2.1 billion euros is being spent by the Greek Government so that we can essentially transform the civil protection infrastructure, so that we can deal with exactly such weather phenomena. And in our country, “112”, which unfortunately is still used today by some, in the context of their oppositional estrus, is what saves lives. Because there are, unfortunately, weather phenomena that surpass even the most modern infrastructures. And in this case the first, non-negotiable concern of any organized state is the saving of human life.

“All this will concern us in Europe, regardless of what happens in the American elections. That is why I insist so much on the need for Europe to invest in its strategic autonomy and to be able to have at its disposal the necessary resources and for all member states to be able to implement these policies, which are necessary in a world which changes and unfortunately not always for the better”.