“In a few hours from now the Thessaloniki Metro is opening its doors to the traveling public,” the government spokesman said Pavlos Marinakis starting to inform political editors.

“An infrastructure project that will change the city’s transportation map and help improve traffic. With the operation of the metro, Thessaloniki acquires a new means of public transport that is modern, fast, cheap and environmentally friendly. The delivery of the project to the service of the citizens transforms the aspirations that are at the core of the strategy of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and of the government as a whole. The completion of the ongoing projects, the creation of green infrastructure and the strengthening of transport safety, the strengthening of the credibility of the political system in terms of the timely implementation and the necessary financing of the projects”, emphasized Mr. Marinakis.

He said the project includes “13 modern stations, 9.6 km. line with two independent single-track tunnels, 18 super-automatic trains of the latest technology, fully air-conditioned, which will move without a driver but with an attendant, and a capacity of 450 people, a maximum capacity of transporting 18,000 passengers/hour in each direction, a depot of 52,000 m2, with the Operation Control Center, in Pylaia, automatic door system at platforms, at each station, which will work in coordination with the wires”.

He added that “the estimated daily passenger traffic is about 250,000 passengers” and that “an extremely attractive pricing policy has been announced in order to encourage citizens to use the new means, in combination with the buses, which are being renewed, at a rate approaching , already, 50%. The price of Metro and bus tickets, in the urban zone, is set at 0.60 euros, while the costs of card products with a longer duration are significantly reduced, such as for example the monthly card which will cost just 16 euros”.

He also noted that “the great archaeological findings are presented at the Stations, with the Venizelos Station being internationally the largest archaeological site integrated into a major technical project. Thessaloniki highlights its rich history and at the same time, is strengthened with a modern infrastructure that promotes principles of sustainable urban mobility and turns the city into a model of development for the whole country”.

He also said that as the Prime Minister mentioned yesterday at an event of the Region of Attica on the regeneration of Faliriko Ormos, “this government proves every day that it turns plans into construction sites and then into projects”.

The next topic of the briefing was the discussion in the competent committee of the Parliament n/s of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security on the Integration of the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on adequate minimum wages in the European Union – Adjustment of salaries of public sector personnel – Arrangements for determining the minimum wage for the years 2025, 2026 and 2027.

He referred in detail to the innovations of the new proposed system for calculating the minimum wage through a mathematical formula and said that “the European directive aims to improve the living and working conditions of workers in the member states of the European Union and establishes a protection shield for all workers without exception” .

He added that “on December 20, the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family will pay the extraordinary benefits to the beneficiaries of the Persons with Disabilities allowance, to the uninsured elderly, to the beneficiaries of the child allowance who will receive an additional installment, and to the beneficiaries of the Minimum of Guaranteed Income who will receive an additional 50% of the monthly allowance”.

In conclusion, he referred to the prime minister’s program, pointing out that Mr. Mitsotakis will go to London, where on the morning of Monday, December 2, he will open – just like last year – the Investment Conference organized by the Hellenic Stock Exchange with Morgan Stanley. On the same day, the prime minister will participate in a closed workshop organized by the Blair Institute on Artificial Intelligence and government policies and organized for the needs of the Greek government. On the morning of Tuesday, December 3, the Prime Minister will meet with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer.”

Within the day announcements of audits and fines for fictitious sales on Black Friday

Regarding complaints about fictitious discounts in its context Black Friday and if there will be any fines for these cases he answered “yes. Probably during the day we will have announcements from the Ministry of Development, we have a separate round of checks for consumer protection due to Black Friday, in addition to checks on prices in supermarkets. Within the day we will have announcements about controls and fines that are imposed.”

By December 6, there will be announcements from the Ministry on retail prices in relation to electricity, said Mr. Marinakis. “Let’s not create panic in the world, any increase will not be paid by households and as far as possible businesses will not pay it either” he pointed out