Good morning and happy Sunday. If I had to find a phrase that connects many of the topics in today's review, it would be "Greece 2030". A country more modern, more functional, and more mature, definitively leaving behind problems and pending issues of the past. You will understand why as we go on.
Let me start, then, with our proposal for the Constitutional Revision, yet another commitment of ours that is being realized. The changes we propose may seem bold to some. But I believe they are necessary for a country that wants to look to the future with confidence. We propose the establishment of non-state universities, the amendment of the article on ministerial responsibility and further strengthening of the independence of the judiciary, linking permanence in the civil service with evaluation, constitutional protection of the country from any threat of bankruptcy, recognition of affordable housing as an obligation of the state, stronger provisions for tackling the climate crisis, and a framework of principles for the use of Artificial Intelligence for the benefit of people and society. Different interventions, with a common goal: a country more ready for the challenges of the future. We are not proposing these changes with the next election in mind, but the next decade.
2030 marks 200 years since the formal establishment of the Greek state. I would like then to be able to say that we took some steps that the country owed to itself for decades. And I hope all political forces will submit their positions, because this project transcends us all and needs us all.
If there is one development that shows the country is indeed leaving behind some of the heaviest pending issues of the past, it is the European Commission's decision to remove Greece from the list of countries with "macroeconomic imbalances", officially closing a cycle that opened 16 years ago at the start of the debt crisis. For the first time in many years, Greece is not discussed in Europe as part of the problem, but as an example of progress and stability. That is why I find it hard to understand those who rush to downplay the significance of this development. Because it is precisely these macroeconomic imbalances in which we were trapped for years that keep citizens' incomes diverging from those of other European countries. And this is neither coincidental nor self-evident. It is the result of the effort of the citizens and the political stability that allowed the country to move forward amid a period of successive international crises.
Today, the Greek economy is growing faster than the European average, reducing public debt at the fastest rate in Europe, and has created almost 600,000 new jobs. And the stronger the economy becomes, the more possibilities we have to return the dividend of this progress to society. Obviously, exiting this list does not mean that all problems have been solved. It does not mean that inflation has disappeared or that incomes are where we want them to be. But it does mean that the country now has much more solid foundations to meet these challenges and continue to converge with the more developed European economies.
Another decades-long pending issue being closed is the codification of spatial and urban planning legislation. With the new Spatial Planning-Urban Planning Code passed in Parliament, for the first time provisions that were scattered across 119 legislative acts and 53 presidential decrees – some dating back to 1923! – are brought together in a single framework. An important reform that brings order to a field that for years plagued citizens, professionals, investors, and the public administration. The pivotal role in achieving this landmark project was played by Nikos Tagaras, whom we recently lost. A rare person and a moderate, capable politician, respected even by political opponents. To me, a friend. He was driven by the ethics of responsibility, serving the country in whatever position he held. That is why we gave his name to the Spatial Organization project, as a minimal tribute to a true public servant.
Changing the subject, I come to the National Health System (ESY), whose upgrade continues with visible results from this major reform. Let me recap: just in the last few days, three fully renovated Emergency Departments were delivered in Kilkis, Kavala, and Alexandroupoli, while the renovation of the Health Center of Thermi was completed. At the same time, two new clinics were inaugurated: the Ophthalmology Clinic at the University General Hospital "AHEPA", and the Pulmonology Clinic at the General Hospital of Thessaloniki "Ippokrateio", as well as the Day Care Center for Total Care "IASIS Generations | Kilkis", one of seven modern facilities providing comprehensive services to people with dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and related neurodegenerative disorders. Particularly in the field of dementia and autism, we see that these facilities meet real needs of families and local communities. That is why we are moving forward with the creation of 40 new units across the country, 20 for dementia and 20 for autism.
Other important government actions: we are increasing the protection threshold for non-seizable accounts from 1,250 to 1,600 euros, adjusting it for the first time in many years to today's data. Our aim is that those who have debts can keep a larger amount available for their basic daily needs, without of course canceling their obligation to pay their debts.
The Digital Work Card is now being extended to the health, telecommunications, cleaning services, repair, and other sectors, covering an additional 476,000 workers. It will be implemented gradually in two phases, aiming to protect more workers by combating undeclared and under-declared work and accurately recording actual working time. The Digital Work Card now covers approximately 2.5 million workers, and it is worth noting that in 2025, over 2.7 million additional overtime hours were declared and paid compared to 2024.
Another significant change is now moving from theory to practice. The platform politis.gov.gr has been launched, through which citizens can digitally track the progress of their applications to the public sector. For the first time, they will know exactly at what stage their case is, which service is handling it, and what the estimated completion time is.
The platform for the "Neighborhood Nannies" program has also opened for parents at ntantades.gov.gr, so that families can choose a caregiver for children from 2 months to 2.5 years old. Early data show the program is meeting a real need, as interest is already very high. I remind you that the program provides financial support of up to 500 euros per month for parents working full-time or who are self-employed, and up to 300 euros per month for parents working part-time or seeking employment. Indeed, the caregiver can also be a family member, such as a grandmother, provided they meet the required conditions. In addition, we are proceeding with a necessary amendment to the important Personal Assistant program. On small islands where there is often insufficient availability of personal assistants, relatives can now take on this role. Thus, our fellow citizens with disabilities will not be deprived of such an important service due to their place of residence, while the daily care often provided by the family itself can now be officially included in the program and be practically supported.
Since I mentioned new opportunities and new choices, let me focus on an initiative with special symbolism. The Greek Armed Forces, for the first time, welcomed female volunteers who chose to serve their military service. A total of 72 Greek women reported to the Recruit Training Center in Lamia and will be sworn in at the end of June. The voluntary enlistment program operates on a pilot basis and provides for a 12-month service for women aged 20 to 26. Incentives for those who wish to serve include recognition of their service period as prior work experience and additional points in ASEP competitions for recruitment as professional soldiers or for hiring graduates as civilian personnel. Good start to our female soldiers!
In the field of culture, I want to mention an important move on the part of our country, which returned 48 antiquities to Cyprus from the collection of Ambassador Christos Zacharakis, whose heirs asked the Greek state to return them where they belong. This is a move that confirms, if nothing else, that Greece applies the same principles it invokes when claiming the repatriation of its own antiquities.
We have now entered June and with it the most demanding period of the fire season. The reasonable question from citizens is whether the country is better prepared today against the risk of fires compared to previous years. The answer cannot be given with words, but with the continuous strengthening of the means and capabilities of Civil Protection. In this context, the Fire Service received 10 new tractors that will cover critical needs for transporting fire engines and special equipment throughout the country. They will be allocated to the Regional Administrations of mainland Greece and Crete, contributing to faster mobilization of forces where needed. This is another addition to the equipment the country is acquiring through the "AEGIS" program, aiming to be as ready as possible to face the increasingly difficult conditions created by the climate crisis.
Before closing, let me congratulate the fishermen of Amorgos for the award of the "Amorgorama" with the first Annual Sustainable Fisheries Award established by the Ministry of Rural Development. Those of you who often read my reviews may remember that I have mentioned this initiative in the past, which has evolved into a benchmark for sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean. I am especially pleased when such efforts are recognized and rewarded.
I close by returning to the thought with which I started. The topics you read today may be very different from each other. From the Constitution and economy to the National Health System, the public sector, or Civil Protection. But they have something in common: they show a country that does not stand still, but tries to solve problems that have accompanied it for years. That is why I spoke at the beginning about Greece 2030. Because this Greece will not suddenly appear one day. It is built step by step, through the changes being made today. Have a good day!
