Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his Sunday message announced the extension of the subsidy on Diesel for June as well. Amid the energy crisis due to the Middle East, the Prime Minister stressed in his post that developments lead to the extension of the measure, while at the end of the month an additional 150 euros per child will be added to families entitled to the emergency aid. Furthermore, in his post he sent a message to students taking the Panhellenic exams, stating that the exams are an important goal "but not the only one," emphasizing that "no result can measure the value, abilities, or path of a young person." Finally, he made special reference to the changes brought by the Ministry of Labor regarding pay equality regardless of gender.
The Prime Minister's Message
Days of Panhellenic exams and I want to start with a thought for the candidates. I know that these days everything seems to be judged by a written exam, in a few hours. But that is not the case. The Panhellenic exams are an important milestone, not the only one. So enter the room with a clear mind, without burdening yourself with more stress than you already have. No result can measure the value, abilities, or path of a young person. And certainly, life opens more paths than we can often see at this age. I wish everyone good luck and that your efforts throughout this period are rewarded. As it is completely normal these days to feel more pressure or anxiety, the Ministry of Education has activated until June 30 the free phone line 1550 for psychological support of candidates and their families, a nationwide network of psychologists from the Centers for Interdisciplinary Assessment, Counseling and Support. Do not hesitate to use it if you feel you need it.
Let's move on to government work. I will start with inflation, as the ongoing developments in the Middle East lead to an extension of the energy crisis and, consequently, affect prices and the daily lives of citizens. That is why we decided to extend the subsidy on Diesel for June as well, with a support of 15 cents per liter, so that its price remains about 30 cents lower compared to March. At the end of the month, the emergency aid of 150 euros per child will also be paid, without any application, with expanded income criteria covering over 80% of households in the country, so that almost one million families benefit from this measure. I know that these emergency measures alone do not solve the problem of inflation that continues to pressure many households. But they provide a small respite in a difficult situation.
I have referred several times recently to hydrocarbon exploration and the growing interest of major international energy groups in our country. I return to it because each new step has its own significance. This time, Chevron and HELLENiQ ENERGY submitted a request for the participation of the American energy giant in the concession of Block 10, off the Kyparissiakos Gulf, in the Southern Ionian Sea. This consortium, I recall, has signed lease agreements with the Hellenic Republic for four new maritime areas south of Crete and the Peloponnese. This development adds to a series of moves confirming that Greece is now seen as a country with serious energy prospects. It does not, of course, prejudge any outcome. But it shows that international interest not only remains strong but is expanding, gradually strengthening our country's position on the energy map of the Eastern Mediterranean.
I come to the Recovery Fund, where we are now entering the final stretch for its completion. Within the week, our country submitted a dual disbursement request, the 7th for the loan component and the 8th for the reform and project component, totaling 1.63 billion euros. To those wondering whether the reform component of the program is progressing, the answer is yes: to date we have completed 86.15% of the reform milestones, which in a measurable way digitize the state and the economy, drive the country's energy transition, simplify the business environment, reduce bureaucracy, upgrade public health and education, and accelerate the administration of justice.
One of these reform milestones was the Cadastre, the complete mapping of the country's real estate, a pending issue that had plagued the country for almost two centuries. Its completion is now very close, as the posting of cadastral data covers 99% of the territory. This means that citizens can now, through the digital map maps.ktimatologio.gr, see their property data aggregated, check them, and, where necessary, request corrections. This is a deep institutional reform that far exceeds the limits of a simple administrative change. The Cadastre is a foundation for legal certainty, investments, protection of citizens' property, and the overall developmental course of the country. Our goal is to close this 200-year pending issue definitively by the end of the year. And we will succeed.
However, the completion of the Recovery Fund does not mean the end of our emblematic innovative policies.
One such example is the "Provalamvano" (I Prevent) program, which will continue in the coming years, as we have already secured funding of 300 million euros for the period 2027-2030 for free preventive screenings for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer, cardiovascular risk, obesity in adults and minors, and kidney dysfunction. Prevention was for decades the "poor relative" of the healthcare system in our country. We chose to change that and the results are already visible. More than 317,000 of our fellow citizens detected a finding in time and were able to receive appropriate medical care. That is why preventive screening programs are now a permanent part of our public health policy.
I remain in the health field, as the National Health Service acquired another renovated Emergency Department, this time at the "Metaxa" Anticancer Hospital in Piraeus. For patients, this means better conditions, shorter waiting times, and higher quality care at a particularly difficult time in their lives. The new spaces and modern medical equipment allow staff to manage emergencies more effectively and provide better services. With the completion of the overall renovation of "Metaxa," thanks to the donation from Allwyn, in three years we will be talking about a virtually new oncology hospital.
On labor issues, we are bringing a new bill that takes another step toward a fairer labor market, where the same job is paid the same way, regardless of gender. Although the principle of equal pay is already established, in practice wage inequalities still exist, not only in Greece but across Europe. With the transposition of the relevant European Directive, a comprehensive framework for pay transparency is introduced for the first time, both before recruitment and during the employment relationship, and if a wage difference is identified without objective explanation, the employer will be obliged to make corrective interventions and reform the company's pay structure, while the judicial protection of employees is significantly strengthened. In general, regarding the bill, it is worth noting that so far 65 proposals submitted by the National Social Partners, representatives of workers and employers, have been incorporated into it.
I also want to highlight another important provision: the inclusion of nurses, nursing assistants, rescuers, and ambulance crews of EKAB in the heavy and arduous professions. A just demand of people who are daily on the front line of the National Health Service and emergency care.
In 2019, when we were first elected, I spoke to you about a state that is more citizen-friendly. A state that does not burden you, respects your time, and puts an end to unnecessary bureaucracy. Seven years later, the steps we have taken in this direction are many. But that does not mean we stop. Because a modern state is judged not only by major reforms but also by whether it solves small problems that daily plague citizens. One of these was that the Public sector often asked citizens to submit documents and certificates that were already in another public service. That is changing. Now the search for these documents will be done officially, without the citizen having to seek and submit them again and again. For example, you will no longer need to submit a marriage certificate, a copy of your degree, a military discharge certificate, a certificate of next of kin, various cadastral certificates, etc. We are also setting clear deadlines for the administration.
When a citizen waits for a decision that involves a financial benefit or compensation, the Public sector must respond within three months. Of course, anyone who attempts to defraud the state with a false declaration will face fines of up to 50,000 euros, as well as the prescribed criminal consequences.
Before closing, I will mention two important interventions in the field of culture. Very important and particularly honorable is the news that in Malia, Crete, the Minoan Palace Center now officially bears the UNESCO seal as a World Heritage Site, confirming the unique position of Minoan civilization in world cultural heritage. This recognition is not only symbolic. The UNESCO seal is an important international distinction, but our real responsibility is to keep these sites alive and functional. That is why we are implementing projects worth 3.5 million euros that protect and upgrade the archaeological site, shielding it against the impacts of the climate crisis. We are doing the same in Rhodes, where restoration work on the emblematic National Theater, one of the most important architectural landmarks of the island, is progressing at an intensive pace. When the project is completed, the city will once again gain a modern cultural space of international standards, worthy of its history and significance.
I close with a number that says a lot about our society and concerns sports. According to the annual report of e-Kouros for 2025, the digital system for recording the sports ecosystem that we institutionalized two years ago, 1 in 4 citizens of the country is directly or indirectly involved in amateur sports. The data also show that the number of athletes increased by 4.05% within a year, while 1 in 3 middle school children is registered in a sports club. This is a particularly optimistic picture that confirms the dynamism of sports in our country. e-Kouros now allows us to know with precision the needs of each sport and each region, so that we can design better policies, distribute resources more fairly, and support clubs and infrastructure more effectively. Soon the My Kouros App will follow, so that athletes, parents, and fans have easy access to useful information about clubs, events, and sports activities that interest them.
This concludes today's review. Tomorrow we welcome the first month of summer. So, happy new month and happy Sunday.
