In his Sunday review, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis referred to the initiatives taken by the government to support the incomes of citizens who are under strong pressure due to the war in Iran, noting that “the government is and will remain on the side of every Greek woman and every Greek man, as it has done in every difficult moment so far”.

Mr. Mitsotakis first said that the effects of what is happening in the Middle East are already visible in fuel prices, and stressed that from the very first moment “we have taken initiatives to support society and incomes against this pressure.”

The Prime Minister placed special emphasis on helping people to buy fuel, noting that efforts are being made to ensure that the Fuel Pass platform is opened within the next week and subsidy is given before the middle of the month.

“Especially for our farmers, the subsidy on fertilizer prices will be retroactive from March 15,” he pointed out.

Mitsotakis noted that there is already a cap on the profit margin on both fuel and dozens of supermarket products that will apply until the end of June, adding:

“We are now moving forward with a new package of four targeted measures for the months of April and May with interventions on fuel prices (diesel and petrol), fertiliser and ferry tickets. The measures have already been tailored and, with the extended income criteria, the support will cover 3 out of 4 households, with the benefit being greater for families with children.”

300 euros and because – as he said – no one knows how long this war will last, the government is keeping reserves in case the global economic situation deteriorates significantly.

“Our message, therefore, is one: the government is and will remain on the side of every Greek woman and every Greek man, as it has done in every difficult moment so far,” the Prime Minister pointed out.

“So the time has come for another minimum wage increase from April 1 – the sixth in a row from 2021 – for employees across the country whose pay is not regulated by a collective agreement and who are paid at the basic wage. And now, this increase also applies to civil servants who are paid the introductory salary, who, thanks to our initiative, are now following the minimum wage in the private sector in terms of pay. The government’s proposal – with the agreement of the Council of Ministers – is to increase it from EUR 880 to EUR 920. If we look at the overall picture, since 2019 when the minimum wage we received was 650 euros, a total of at least 4 additional basic wages have been added to the pockets of employees, or +3,780 euros per year. Added to this are the tax cuts, which especially for young people up to 25 years of age are as low as zero, further improving the disposable income of low-wage earners,”

he stressed.

On unemployment benefits, he noted:

“The unemployment benefit is also adjusted to 564.98 euros per month, as well as a number of allowances and benefits linked to the minimum wage. With the new increase, Greece rises to 12th place among the 22 EU Member States with a statutory minimum wage. Obviously we are not celebrating, we know that we still have a long way to go to catch up with average EU wages. But important steps have been taken. The cumulative increase in the minimum wage from June 2019 is 41.5%, which means €270 per month or €3,780 per year (with 14 payments). Our target of a 959 euro minimum wage by 2027 is now more than achievable. And of course, we should not forget that already by the end of 2025 we have achieved the target we set for 2027, the average full-time wage to reach or exceed 1,500 euros”

Mr. Mitsotakis referred to the Tempi trial “which has already begun in Larissa, serving the self-evident duty of all towards the truth and the memory of the victims: to bring justice to those responsible for the tragic accident.”

The Prime Minister admitted that there were failures and that “indeed, there was a serious problem of coordination both in controlling entry and in marshalling the hundreds of attendees in the hall” and noted:

“In facilities, in fact, which were built specifically for this major trial and are among the most functional and modern in Europe. These are failures that should be overcome by 1 April and everything should then run smoothly. Without giving unnecessary excuses to those who want to delay or even cancel the trial. Nor, however, any hypocritical arguments to those who – for their own reasons – seek to divert public attention. Something, moreover, which the judges’ associations themselves immediately denounced. Our obligation is now one: to let the judiciary function freely and away from political considerations. With the common goal of bringing out the truth. And the case to be fully resolved, so that the answers that are due to society and, first and foremost, to the families of the victims can be given.”

Mr. Mitsotakis then referred to the passage of the Transport Ministry’s bill, which, he said, incorporated proposals from the opposition parties and seeks to set uniform rules in critical areas of the transport system, from urban transport and the taxi market to technical inspection of vehicles, electromobility and sustainable urban mobility. He mentioned, for example, the establishment of a model driving school by OSI SA, the possibility of imposing compulsory community service on those who cause damage to public transport, and stricter fines for fare evasion. With regard to taxis, he continued, chronic problems of the sector are solved without changing the current licensing regime, while dealing with the increased transport work.

“Since I am in the field of transport, we are pleased to see that our Road Safety Strategy is beginning to bear fruit. According to official Commission figures published on Tuesday, Greece in 2025 recorded the second largest reduction in fatalities, 148 fewer in 2025 than in 2024. This is the lowest number recorded in the country since 1963. This reduction is the result of many different interventions, such as intensive and targeted controls, alcohol tests by the Greek police, the use of technology, the 24-hour operation of public transport every Saturday night and the upgrading of infrastructure, along with the creation of new safer roads, such as the Patras-Pyrgos motorway. At the same time, important projects are progressing: the E65 will soon be delivered, while road safety interventions are already being implemented in dangerous areas on the BOAK. The figures are encouraging, but leave no room for complacency. The number of victims remains high. Road safety is a national priority. We are continuing with the aim of drastically reducing road accidents, in line with the European target of a 50% reduction by 2030,” he said.

Defensive armour

Mitsotakis continued his post by referring to the recent meeting of the KYSEA which, he said, took important decisions on the country’s defense armor. First of all, Mitsotakis noted, the planning for the anti-drone, anti-aircraft, anti-ballistic “dome” of our country is progressing, a very important part of the “Achilles’ Shield” with the related “Command & Control”, which marks the transition to a new era for our defense. At the same time, the modernization program – after many years – of the MEKO frigates was approved, which means – as he said – that we will have four ships that will be able to meet modern conditions. The Prime Minister noted that it is equally important to create the appropriate infrastructure for the F-35, with the first of these to be delivered in 2028.

“Furthermore, by upgrading the F-16 Block 50 to F-16 Viper and adding up the Rafale and the F-35, the Greek Air Force will be one of the most powerful Air Forces in Europe. Significant steps are also being taken in transport aircraft, with the approval of the C-27 maintenance and support programme. From a period when capabilities were limited, we now have a fleet that can meet the needs. All these are essential steps to strengthen the Armed Forces, which we had the opportunity to confirm with our own eyes in the glorious parade of our Armed Forces at the military parade on March 25,” Mitsotakis said.

Immigration and Asylum

Mr. Mitsotakis then referred to the possible impact of the war in the Middle East on migration and stressed that, as agreed with our European partners, under no circumstances should Europe be confronted again with a crisis like the one in 2015. This is why the New Pact on Immigration and Asylum, which will come into force from next June, establishes a new procedure for the management of migration in normal periods of time, which is mandatory for all Member States, while covering crisis situations and instrumentalisation phenomena.

“At the recent Cabinet meeting, the Bill was introduced which includes all the new arrangements to manage and normalise migration in the long term, giving EU countries the flexibility to meet the specific challenges they face, as well as the necessary safeguards to protect those in need. Importantly, the Eurodac Regulation has been updated to strengthen controls at the EU’s external borders and a new common procedure is being adopted for Member States when people apply for international protection. Greece, which is a gateway, has from the very first moment strongly supported the new Pact on Immigration and Asylum, just as we strongly fight against criminal networks of traffickers,” he added.

The Prime Minister also referred to the field of combating crime, where, he said, the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime has recorded another major success with the dismantling of a multi-pronged ring allegedly committing fraud against the EFKA and extensive tax evasion through dummy companies, with the involvement of dozens of people. From its activities the circuit – noted Mitsotakis – seems to have gained at least 5 million euros, while the total debts to the State are estimated at 31 million. The structure of the criminal organization was such that the extensive fraud could not be detected by the usual checks of the authorities, but thanks to the methodical work first of all of the Labour Inspectorate and then of the officers of the Greek FBI, their action was detected.

Mr. Mitsotakis closed the post with -as he said- notes of culture, stressing that the government is moving forward with an important initiative, the establishment of a Special Body for the protection and promotion of Greece’s rich inland cultural heritage, one of the most important and multidimensional in the Mediterranean. With the relevant bill -he continued- of the Ministry of Culture, our country acquires for the first time a modern and coherent framework for the management of its underwater cultural wealth: From the submerged settlements – some of them from prehistoric times, the commercial and military shipwrecks of antiquity and Byzantine times, the harbours of ancient cities and Byzantine port facilities, to the more recent underwater infrastructure and the shipwrecks of the two World Wars. The new body, called “Hellenic Underwater Cultural Heritage”, is not just an administrative change, Mitsotakis pointed out, but a tool with a development and research footprint that strengthens our country’s international presence and opens up new opportunities for culture and tourism.

“At the same time, important antiquities – specifically 9 ancient vases – have been repatriated from Budapest to the Argolic land, another important step in dealing with a long-standing case of antiquities theft. These antiquities were stolen from the Archaeological Museum of Argos between 1970-1992 and are returning to our country, after a multi-year effort, which started in 2008, faltered due to various obstacles and intensified in the last 6 years. At the end of June the renovation of the Archaeological Museum of Argos will be completed, where the finds will be exhibited again, this time with their route recorded. We are also claiming another 13 antiquities that seem to come from the same set. The protection of cultural heritage is not a field of confrontation, but a field of cooperation, as the authorities of Budapest have shown, recognizing the importance of Greek culture as one of the cornerstones of European culture,” the Prime Minister said and concluded his post by noting:

“These were the highlights of the past week. We’re slowly getting into the rhythm of April and the countdown to Easter has already begun. Enjoy your Sunday and good luck for the new week ahead. See you again next Sunday.”