For a “very serious institutional reform” that substantially strengthens its protection consumer the Minister of Development spoke Takis Theodorikakosin his statement during the discussion of the Ministry of Finance’s bill for the new Independent Consumer Protection and Market Supervision Authority in the Standing Committee on Production and Trade of the Parliament.
“We are definitively solving the problem of the fragmentation of services and mechanisms that monitor the market and creating for the first time a single, coordinated control and consumer protection mechanism,” pointed out Takis Theodorikakos.
Mr. Theodorikakos underlined that in order to deal effectively with punctuality, the disposable income of the average Greek family must be further strengthened. “In order to have better wages, we need a more productive and more competitive economy”, he noted, recalling that with the Government of New Democracy “500,000 new jobs were created and unemployment decreased from 18% to 8%”.
At the same time, he focused on the tax reliefs from January 1, 2026, which boost the disposable income of workers, especially young people and families with children.
Referring to the new Authority, which is strengthened with 300 new auditors and equipped with modern digital tools, the minister noted that it will operate according to the standards of the AADE and will have a commander and three deputy commanders with a five-year independent term, who will not be subject to any government control. “The only one who will control the new Authority is the Parliament”, he pointed out.
He noted that market controls and fines for violations have increased significantly in recent months, stressing that he has also received personal political attacks on the matter. “We have to apply the law. The law applies to everyone, and that’s what I try to do with absolute consistency,” he noted.
Regarding the provisions concerning the Competition Commission, he emphasized that it is being strengthened with 50 new executives, adding that “we have fully adopted what it asked us to do its job better”.
The Minister of Development called on all parties to support the reform: “Citizens want concrete solutions and serious proposals, not a return 40 years ago. The new Authority serves the public interest and will contribute to the proper functioning of the market and the protection of society.”
Regarding the arrangements for the Elefsina Shipyards and the possibility of expanding ONEX’s activities, Mr. Theodorikakos said: “I absolutely support this initiative. I consider that it represents and reflects the national interest, the interest of the Greek people, the interest of the Greek economy”.
He recalled that in 2022 the US, with a bond loan of 125 million euros through the state development bank DFC, contributed “so that the shipyards can go ahead and thousands of people can work normally”.
He added that the specific legislative intervention can only positively contribute to strengthening the productivity and competitiveness of the economy, creating new opportunities for profit and new jobs: “ONEX requested to develop, in the space already granted to it, commercial, freight, transport, transit, port, energy and defense activity. This is exactly what the regulation allows and is absolutely in the interest of the country.”
Finally, responding to the criticism that the Government is putting the country at the center of geopolitical rivalries, Mr. Theodorikakos underlined: “We are a democratic, organized country, a member of the EU and NATO. We uphold legality towards all. There is a Constitution, there are laws and we do not give explanations to anyone – except to the Greek Parliament”.