The Prime Minister's press conference included a wide range of questions, Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the context of the 89th TIF.

The questions to the Prime Minister began with the announcements he made on Saturday from Vellideio and the non-reinstatement of the 13th salary in the Public Sector.

The announcements I presented constitute the boldest reform of the income scale in the history of the post-revolutionary period, said the Prime Minister at the established press conference he gave in the context of the 89th TIF, when asked about the reinstatement of the 13th salary in the State. Greece today is an exception to the rule. Most European countries are forced to impose austerity measures. We are in the opposite position. 1.7 billion euros cannot be greater because we would violate fiscal rules. The amount to be distributed is this. We chose to aim for a brave tax reform. The 13th salary would cost 1.3 to 1.4 billion. If someone believes that the fiscal surplus should go there and say so. I hope that the policy of producing healthy surpluses will continue next year. All citizens have supported us and now is the time for the dividend of growth to return in a fair manner to as many of our fellow citizens as possible, Kyriakos Mitsotakis answered the first question of the press conference.

When asked about demographics, whether the tax breaks concern income from 2025 or 2026 and regarding accuracy, Mr. Mitsotakis noted:

The announced reform has specific goals. We want to support families with children . Let me clarify that this improvement in income will be seen by employees from the first payroll of the following year and every month. For young men and women, what we announced is radical. What we did is very bold. Saying zero tax can be one or two salaries. We want young people to enter the job market early . Obviously, I spoke many times in my speech about accuracy. I know what it means to raise children. All our targeting, the support of disposable income. The benefit for households, young people, pensioners, all Greeks will be very important and this is a response to accuracy. Obviously, the fight against accuracy is not limited only to boosting income but also with interventions. I insist that what we are doing is putting more money in the pocket of the household. There are also 1.5 billion measures that citizens have not yet felt. All tenants will get a rent and pensioners a benefit.

Regarding the possibility of changing the electoral law and whether there are conditions for cooperation with other political forces, the Prime Minister said:

The answer I give you is the same. I have absolutely no intention of changing the electoral law. I believe in single-party governments and the Greeks have trusted us twice to govern the country. Self-reliance seemed difficult even before the 2023 elections. Right now, the 2027 elections are not the first concern in my mind. When you implement a plan with a four-year horizon, you expect it to pay off in the long run. No one can know the landscape in 2027. The question of post-election partnerships cannot be answered at this moment. The Greek people will make the choice.

Cyprus to prove that it wants the cable

When asked about the issue of the cable with Cyprus and whether he knew Nicosia's intentions or was surprised, and whether he had any insight into the prosecutor's investigation, as well as the appropriate time to proceed with the project, the Prime Minister wanted to describe the big picture of an important electrical interconnection project that will mainly benefit Cyprus.

He explained that because Cyprus is energy isolated, this perspective was chosen by the EU.

Our intention is for this project to begin and be completed, but obviously Cyprus must also demonstrate in practice that it wants this project.

At the same time, he wanted to point out that the electrical interconnection with Cyprus is not the only priority project regarding interconnections and referred to the interconnection with Crete, the Dodecanese and Egypt.

He estimated that we will soon have clear visibility from Cyprus that it wants and means this project and we will be able to move forward to the next stages.

Daily battle with delinquency

The next question was about the fact that despite the government's recognition of the need to enforce the doctrine of legality everywhere, it is a fact that we still have significant hotbeds of delinquency and he made reference to the organized crime ring in Crete with a question about whether the battle against delinquency has been won.

The Prime Minister responded that we are winning this battle every day and referred to the successes of the Greek FBI in many different areas.

When we talk about delinquency, he emphasized, we are not only talking about hard-core organized crime, but he also described as important the treatment of cases of corruption in the public sector, the treatment of delinquency on the street, and the fact that there is currently no active occupation in any university faculty.

All of this proves the government's commitment to implementing this agenda, he stressed, pointing out that more battles have been won than lost and the government will not back down.

I am in favor of organized legal immigration.

On the issue of immigration and what the government intends to do to address any new flows, Mr. Mitsotakis gave a brief review of the government's immigration policy from 2019 to the present.

Today, the EU has come and has fully identified with the Greek positions on border protection and combating the activities of smugglers, he stressed. He pointed out that the policy of temporarily suspending the examination of visas for immigrants from Libya was effective and stressed that the best proof more broadly for the results of the government's strict but reasonable immigration policy is that immigration is not, as in other countries, the issue that is currently discussed first, along with accuracy.

"We will insist on this policy, which is also combined with a well-considered implementation of legal immigration policies," he stressed."I am in favor of organized legal immigration and in the coming months there will be a relevant bill," he added.

He also said that no decision has yet been made on whether to extend the suspension of asylum applications from Libya.

Businessmen are Tsipras' golden sponsors

Mr. Tsipras failed both as prime minister and as leader of the main opposition, the prime minister said at the press conference in the context of the 89th TIF.

"I don't feel that I won Mr. Tsipras. I feel that I won the trust of the Greek citizens. And we are talking to the citizens and we must ultimately convince them that our government proposal is the most credible so that they will finally honor us with their trust," he noted.

Responding to a relevant question, he said that there are some interests, some means, some businessmen who have taken on the role of Mr. Tsipras' golden sponsor.

The government's aim is to improve overall wages

When asked about the possibility of 13-hour workday and the impact on working parents, the Prime Minister stressed that the government's goal is to improve overall wages in the country and this is something that has been significantly achieved.

Today there are many young people who work two jobs. We say that one can work more hours for the same employer, as long as they choose to do so within the framework of strict legislation, and earn more. We ensure a choice for the employer and the employee. Why is this anti-worker?, the Prime Minister stressed.

The Prime Minister also said that he cares primarily about workers and that is why he will continue to support policies to boost their income.

He said that reducing unemployment is the greatest success of the government's policy because it increases the choices of workers.

As long as the casus belli exists, Greece will block Turkey's participation in the SAFE program

Asked about the Greek-Turkish issue, Mr. Mitsotakis said that Greece's planning is not subject to Turkey's approval and I think this is something that we have proven in practice.

I seek calm waters, but from a position of strength and self-confidence, without ever making any concessions regarding the national interests, sovereignty and sovereign rights of our homeland and that compared to where we were a year ago, quite a lot has indeed changed in the field and they have changed, because Greece has made a series of moves where it has demonstrated that it exercises both its sovereignty and its sovereign rights in a different way than what happened in the past.

He added on another point that it is obvious that the casus belli must be withdrawn by Turkey. I repeat with absolute clarity that as long as the casus belli is on the table and as long as Turkey, in other fields, demonstrates revisionism that is to the detriment of Greece, Greece will block Turkey's participation in the SAFE program. He explained that he would continue to talk to Mr. Erdogan and be very honest with him.

From a society of customers we must become a society of citizens

Regarding OPEKEPE, he said that it is a timeless issue. I think that for anyone to attempt it, to blame it only on one government, I would say it does injustice to the real facts.

But, we are the government and we must solve it, he noted.

I take full responsibility for the fact that we did not achieve the reorganization of OPEKEPE in the way we would have liked in the six years that we have been in power. I take full responsibility for the fact that during these 6 years we did not achieve the reorganization of OPEKEPE to the extent that we would have liked. However, let me remind you that long before the European Public Prosecutor's Office got involved, the Greek judiciary had gotten involved. When the knot reached the comb, we decided to abolish it. We proved when we want, we can. We will get back the stolen money, we have already taken 20 million. We started with the big fish and are moving forward with the control of the other tax ID numbers. This story also has an educational character. The old client state has not yet disappeared in our country. From a society of clients, we must become a civil society. Determined to fight this battle, if I have to confront stereotypes that also concern my own party, I will do so, he stressed.