“The 2025 Budget sends a message of optimism. It certifies that the economy will continue to climb higher, amid a volatile international environment. It serves our main strategic goal of converging incomes with the European average. It confirms our plan and vision for Greece becoming stronger economically, geopolitically and defensively. And it emerges as a factor of stability and security in the wider region”, emphasized the General Secretary of K.O. of the Nea Demokratia Vouleuta 1 of Thessaloniki Stavros Kalafatisin his speech to the Parliament during the debate on the State Budget of 2025. After pointing out that three are its main characteristics: “Development spirit, fiscal consistency and social sensitivity”, Mr. Kalafatis underlined: “The new Budget comes to certify that Greece – despite the international uncertainty – has changed course and the sacrifices of the citizens are paying off”.

Referring to the opposition, Mr. Kalafatis, after emphasizing that he is going blind, characteristically said: “You are still presenting an image of nihilism. You forget where the country was in 2019 and do injustice to the efforts of all our fellow citizens. You indulge once again in a recital of leveling and populism. You forget that in the last five years more than sixty taxes have been abolished or reduced.” “You pretend you don’t see that unemployment is decreasing with half a million of our fellow citizens having found work in recent years.” As Stavros Kalafatis pointed out: “Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Government and the New Democracy Parliamentary Group are demonstrating consistency in what we committed to the citizens. We continue steadfastly on the path of reforms that enhance growth, digitize the state, facilitate entrepreneurship and create new jobs.”

Referring to the projects of Thessaloniki, Stavros Kalafatis emphasized that: “2025 finds Thessaloniki on the path of progress and development with the plan for Thessaloniki 2030 in the preparation of which – as he recalled – I had the honor of actively contributing from his position Deputy Minister of the Interior responsible for Macedonia-Thrace issues”. He called the Thessaloniki Metro, which started its operation, “an emblematic project – a catalyst” and referred to projects that are progressing such as the FlyOver, the Pediatric and Anti-Cancer Hospital, the Holocaust Museum, ThessINTEC, the Logistics Center in the former Gonou camp, the Metropolitan Pavlos Mela Park and the regeneration of the D.E.T. site, projects with which, as he pointed out: “Thessaloniki enters in a new era of dynamic development”.

Here is the full text of the speech:

“Ladies and gentlemen colleagues,

The Budget we are debating these days is the top annual piece of legislation that will also be the guide for the Greek economy for 2025. It has three main features: Development spirit, fiscal consistency and social sensitivity.

It serves sustainable development and social cohesion, collective progress and individual advancement. It demonstrates consistency in our pre-election commitments and unwavering commitment to our reform strategy. It also includes a series of structural interventions to address challenges, such as housing, demographics, the climate crisis, the strengthening of investment and innovation and the necessary increased national defense spending. It foresees new reductions or even abolition of taxes such as: The abolition of the pretense fee, the doubling of the ENFIA from 2025, the permanent return of the Special Consumption Tax on agricultural oil, but also the new reduction of insurance contributions by an additional 1 unit.

But at the same time, it foresees new increases in salaries and pensions, a new increase in the minimum wage, increases in the salaries of military school students and a new increase in the student allowance. Measures that clearly support the middle class.

Ladies and gentlemen colleagues,

The 2025 Budget, however, also has a strong social sign. Indicatively, spending on health will be increased by 74% compared to 2019. As well as spending on hospitals will be increased by 120%. While an increase in the costs of the Public Investment Program and the Recovery Fund is foreseen by 285 million. euros to accelerate the renovation of hospitals and health centers throughout the country. At the same time, spending on Education increases by 141 million. euros compared to last year’s Budget. At the same time, the costs for the protection of the environment are also increasing significantly because for us it is a matter of priority to protect our natural wealth and to deal with the consequences of climate change.

And yet, in the face of this reality, Ladies and Gentlemen, colleagues of the Opposition, you are willfully blind. You are still presenting an image of nullification. You forget where the country was in 2019 and do injustice to the efforts of all our fellow citizens. You indulge once again in a recital of leveling and populism. You forget that in the last five years over sixty taxes have been abolished or reduced. Pretend you don’t understand that one thing is increased revenue and another is increased taxes. Revenues that come from the growth of the “pie”, that is, from the increase in GDP. and the coordinated interventions of the Government to limit tax evasion. You pretend you don’t see that unemployment is decreasing with half a million of our fellow citizens finding work in recent years. Whether you like it or not, Ladies and Gentlemen, colleagues of the Opposition, the new Budget comes to certify that Greece – despite the international uncertainty – has changed course and the sacrifices of the citizens are paying off.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Government and the New Democracy Parliamentary Group are demonstrating consistency in what we committed to the citizens. We continue steadfastly on the path of reforms that enhance growth, digitize the state, facilitate entrepreneurship and create new jobs.

The new Budget corresponds to our plan for the Greece we want. A fiscal balance plan that never allows what we have gained through sacrifice to be jeopardized ever again. A plan that supports the national economy, households and businesses with a range of measures. Plan that foresees: A growth rate of 2.3% of GDP, higher than the Eurozone average. Significant investment increase of over 8%. Reduction of unemployment from 10.3% to 9.7%. Primary surplus of 2.4%. Reduction of public debt to 147.5% from 154% of GDP. Reduction of inflation to 2.1% from 2.7% this year.

The 2025 Budget sends a message of optimism. It certifies that the economy will continue to climb higher, amid a volatile international environment. It serves our main strategic goal of converging incomes with the European average. It confirms our plan and vision for Greece becoming stronger economically, geopolitically and defensively. And it emerges as a factor of stability and security in the wider region.

And of course, ladies and gentlemen colleagues,

The year 2025 finds Thessaloniki on the path of progress and development with the plan for Thessaloniki 2030 in the preparation of which I had the honor to contribute actively from the position of the Deputy Minister of the Interior in charge of Macedonia-Thrace issues.

With the emblematic project – catalyst, the Thessaloniki Metro that started its operation, a symbol of progress of Macedonia and the whole of Greece – as the Prime Minister underlined – with the FlyOver Regional Road Axis, with the two new modern hospitals, the Pediatric and the Anti-Cancer, with the Holocaust Museum, with the ThessINTEC Technology Park, and the Logistics Center in the former camp Gonou, with the Pavlos Melas Metropolitan Park, with the redevelopment of the Thessaloniki International Fair, Thessaloniki is entering a new era of dynamic development. In a Greece that we want and deserve for all Greek women and all Greeks.

Ladies and Gentlemen colleagues,

Everything we said is happening. We do what we say. That is why we say yes to the new Budget. Yes to the Greece of national pride, responsible patriotism and social cohesion. Yes to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Thank you.