During the visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Cairo, in order to participate in the 10th summit of the tripartite cooperation scheme of Greece-Cyprus-Egypt, the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and government representative Pavlos Marinakis mentioned in his introductory statement.

“Before the start of the work of the Tripartite Synod, Kyriakos Mitsotakis will have a private meeting with the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, while, after the completion of the work, there will be statements by the three leaders to the press.

The tripartite Summit is taking place at a time when the landscape in the Middle East is being reshaped and highlights even more the importance of Greece-Cyprus-Egypt cooperation as an axis of stability in a troubled region,” he said.

He also emphasized that applications for the “Save 2025” and “Change Heating System and Water Heater” programs start tomorrow.

“It is foreseen that through “Excoionamo 2025″, which has a total budget of 434 million euros, primary energy savings of over 30% will be achieved in each case, through the energy upgrade, by at least three energy categories, of each residence that will be strengthened within the framework of program. It is clarified that the program concerns buildings that are used as a main residence,” he said.

“The main objective of the program is to support energetically vulnerable and affected population groups. In particular, it includes separate incentives, i.e., an increased rate of grants and a special budget to support families with disabled members, affected by natural disasters in Thessaly, earthquake victims of Arkalochori and Samos, families with at least three dependent children and vulnerable households.

Regarding the features of the “Change Heating System and Hot Water Heater” program: In addition to assisting households to install new solar water heaters and/or heat pump systems of modern technology, the possibility of replacing energy-consuming electric heaters of old technology is also provided. However, this provision is not a prerequisite for the participation of the interested parties in the program,” he noted.

“It is worth pointing out that out of the 223.2 million euros which is its total budget, 44.6 million are committed. euros for energy-vulnerable households. In addition, it will contribute to reducing the use of heating systems based on fossil fuels and biomass, which burden the atmosphere.

Through these programs, citizens have the opportunity to upgrade their homes energy-wise, but also to save money by reducing energy consumption” added Mr. Marinakis.

Also, the government representative said that the new Road Traffic Code was put out for public consultation. “The goal of the regulations is the compliance of drivers, the imposition of fair penalties that correspond to the seriousness and danger of each violation, but also to ensure the collection of fines. The penalties must be proportionate to the violations and are ranked according to their dangerousness, while there is an escalation of penalties for drivers who frequently fall into violations,” he said.

“The regulations are aimed at road safety and the protection of human life, while they are in line with the needs of modern mobility and the gradual digitization of processes.

The rationalization of penalties and the categorization of offenses according to their risk are foreseen.

Categorizing violations into three basic categories makes the sanctioning framework more realistic and easier to apply by control bodies and easier to understand by citizens.

Dissuasive penalties are imposed for the most serious violations that significantly increase the likelihood of causing traffic accidents.

Penalties for dangerous driving behavior are now focused on the driver and not the vehicle (vehicle details are not removed).

The reduction of the maximum speed of movement within the urban fabric and on neighborhood streets to 30 km/h, under the special conditions provided on a case-by-case basis.

The sanctioning framework for micro-mobility vehicles and motorized two-wheelers is tightened, as the use of helmets and compliance with speed limits are non-negotiable and severely punished.

The institutional framework is being reformed to expand the possibility of using technical or electronic means, such as cameras on buses to detect violations of the Road Traffic Code,” said Mr. Marinakis.

In addition, he referred to the presentation of the National Strategy for the Protection of Minors from Internet Addiction, which, he said, has the main objective of helping parents and minors in responsible, responsible use, protecting young people from harmful content and bad or addictive practices , which negatively affect their social maturation, knowledge acquisition and mental health.

“Greece is taking the lead at the European level by forming a framework, so that common rules can be adopted and gaps that are observed today can be covered. This framework will work in conjunction with other initiatives already undertaken, such as banning mobile phone use by students in schools and the SAFE.YOUth app.

Responsible use, of course, does not constitute non-use, nor does it equate to prohibition. Particular importance is attached to the role of both parents and guardians, as well as children, as dealing with the addiction of minors to the internet is not dealt with only by technical or regulatory interventions, but requires the cooperation of parents and children so that there is a tangible result”, he emphasized.

At the same time, he referred to the three axes of the National Strategy, saying: “The first axis includes the website parco.gov.gr, which provides instructions to parents, so that they can use parental control tools that are pre-installed on most devices.

The second axis concerns tools offered to parents, most notably the Kids Wallet application, which will be available for installation in April 2025. This children’s “digital wallet” will be connected to the parent’s Gov.gr Wallet and there various parental controls are readily available.

The third axis concerns the government’s regulatory actions and contains two main initiatives at the national level:

– Firstly, the establishment of the Digital Adulthood Age at 15 years.

– Secondly, the obligation of all manufacturers of devices available in Greece and connected to the internet to pre-install or provide access to parental control software”.

Regarding the Greek economy, the government representative said that in 2024 it recorded high performance and showed dynamic growth with fiscal targeting and a social sign, making full use of national and EU resources, which financed projects and reforms critical for society and the economy.

“The Development Program of Public Investments, amounting to 13.3 billion euros, increased by 1.3 billion euros during the year, was executed at a rate of 101.25%. In 2024, the resources directed to society and the economy were increased by 2.1 billion. euros compared to 2023,” he said.

“In 2025, by allocating additional resources to the Development Program of Public Investments, we further accelerate the implementation of the development policy with a social sign, we put into practice our commitments, so that every euro of the NSRF 2021-2027, the National Development Program and the Recovery Fund supports the resilient and dynamic Greek economy, to create even more jobs, to deliver the growth dividend to society, turning collective prosperity into individual advantage for our fellow citizens,” he added.

Mr. Marinakis said that work is continuing on the creation of the National Museum of Marine Antiquities, in Piraeus, which will be ready to welcome its visitors in 2026.

“More than 2,500 exhibits will be on display and a multitude of technological applications will be presented, featuring well-equipped maintenance laboratories and storage areas. Parallel to the new building, the conveyor belt, which served the loading of ships, is highlighted and projected. The National Museum of Maritime Antiquities will highlight the treasures of the Greek seas, while at the same time it will be the emblematic cultural landmark for the country’s largest port. The project of the National Museum of Marine Antiquities is financed with the amount of 93,000,000 euros from the resources of the Recovery Fund, managed by the Ministry of Culture. This is the biggest cultural project that is in progress today,” he noted.

Finally, the government representative announced that on Friday, January 10, the cabinet will meet under the Prime Minister at Megaros Maximos.