In a discussion with the editor -in -chief of the Wall Street Journal, Emma Tucker, on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent a clear message about hydrocarbon surveys south of Crete and the interest of Chevron: Greece has no interest. “If what we do is causing some discomfort in Turkey, let it be. That’s lifeas the French would say, “he said, at the same time clarifying that the channels of communication with Ankara remain open without agreeing to agree on everything. As an example of a declining practice, he mentioned the entrance with express visa, thanks to which more than 100,000 Turks visited islands of the Eastern Aegean, stressing that the “citizen to citizen” projects can build bridges, even when geopolitical disagreements remain.
The conversation started from tourism, with the prime minister talking about a record year of both arrivals and revenue, but also about the need to upgrade the product with strict sustainability criteria. The goal, he said, is to extend the season until November, the “opening” of new destinations in mainland Greece and to boost urban destinations such as Athens and Thessaloniki. The Greek brand, historically linked to mass tourism, now seeks to move consistently to quality, good pay and sustainability.
In the field of the economy, Kyriakos Mitsotakis presented the Greek route as a history of overturning, returning to primary and budget surpluses, a faster debt reduction in the OECD and the shift of growth from investment consumption. He recalled that foreign direct investments of the last six years exceeded the sum of the previous twenty years, while unemployment has fallen significantly in the labor market, and the minimum wage rose from 650 to 880 euros. He acknowledged, however, that convergence with Europe requires persistent effort, by improving productivity and dealing with skills deficiencies. For European funds after the pandemic, he stressed that NextGenerationeu does not leave a gap, as they are followed by structural and themes for climate and social cohesion, provided that is fully and targeted.
A key to the government’s narrative appears technology. The prime minister spoke for a ten -year goal of increasing the industry’s contribution from about 3% to 10% of GDP, with the resource of Data Centers, the utilization of artificial intelligence in public administration and attracting international investment thanks to the available talent. He acknowledged that bureaucracy remains a challenge, but insist that the digitization of services and the codification of building legislation changes the daily lives of citizens and businesses. In the same context, he also referred to the need to authenticate digital content in the age of Deepfakes, noting that even moderate voices must act vigorously on social networks.
For the housing – which described as a “bigger issue today” – there was a set of measures moving on two axes: direct relief and income reinforcement for young people, from zero income tax of up to 25 years with incomes of up to 20,000 euros and a significant reduction in rates to 30, Leases that “displace” long -term in the big cities.
At European level, Mitsotakis was in favor of a more decisive union, with joint funding for defense, promotion of the Capital Markets and a substantial reduction in bureaucracy. At the same time, he referred to the need to combine the green transition with competitiveness, so as not to become a “luxury for a few”. In relations with the US he spoke of a strategy, inter -party cooperation reinforced by Greece’s energy role in the Eastern Mediterranean. For China, it held a realistic stance with reference to the earlier agreement for Piraeus, while for India it highlighted the dynamics of the IMEC corridor and the new direct airline connections as an opportunity for tourism and trade.
Returning to the crucial issue of energy, the prime minister stressed that more than half of the power generation is already coming from renewables, with ever more frequent intervals where the network operates exclusively with RES. To keep this course sustainable, however, large storage investments, batteries, pumping and, above all, in networks and interconnections are needed. Natural gas, concluded, remains a transitional fuel for the required basic power, while at the same time Greece reinforces its role as a regional hub that supplies the Balkans and, through interconnections, even Ukraine.
With this mix of stability, investment and active diplomacy, the message that Kyriakos Mitsotakis broadcast to an international audience was double: Greece aspires to move higher on the economic scale with a focus on quality and technology, while in Greek -Turkish rights. And if that bothers the anchor? “That’s life.ยป