The New Democracy (ND) parliamentary group met for the election of Maximos Charakopoulos as secretary of the parliamentary group, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressing the governing party’s MPs.

The session began with a one-minute silence in memory of the late Apostolos Vesyropoulos.

At the same time, we have the four non-state universities, which will finally start operating from October.

None of this was easy, just as it wasn’t easy to renovate more than 400 schools under the “Marietta Giannakou” program. In addition, we secured €300 million in funding from the Hellenic Bank Association to renovate another 2,000 schools.

This party cares for and looks after every Greek citizen.

Under our governance, hospitals and health centers are being upgraded, and when we ask citizens about the National Health System (ESY), they naturally point out weaknesses, the most significant being the real shortage of staff, which we are trying to address. However, they also recognize the many positive developments in the ESY.

Let us recall that under our tenure, 500,000 jobs were created and 83 taxes were reduced. The digital work card was implemented under our governance, and gov.gr became a reality under our governance.

Where someone in Thessaloniki spoke of “patriotic taxes,” we prioritize patriotic tax relief. While others painted their own “money tree” green, we presented a costed tax plan with examples showing how millions of citizens would benefit.

The opposition’s unreasonable “no” turns into a “yes to nothing.”

This party will never put the country’s fiscal stability at risk. When someone proposes a 13th salary, it costs €1.3 billion, and when others claim that addressing inflation is done through VAT reductions, I ask them to consult the Bank of Greece and examine examples from other countries — I remind you that we reduced VAT on coffee but did not see real reductions.

The fiscal space we had at our disposal was exhausted by the interventions I announced. Anything beyond that would have led us into European difficulties because the country must produce surpluses to reduce debt. And if anyone doubts this, let them ask the European Commission if the government could allocate more. A success of economic policy is being able to implement such measures.

We redirect the dividends of growth and efforts against tax evasion directly into citizens’ pockets. The changes starting January 1 equate to a salary increase.

In combination with the reduction of the property tax scale, we anticipate greater compliance from property owners, and I reiterate that I am open to further reductions in the future.

We are the party that stands by pensioners, with the abolition of the personal difference from 2027, and by the most vulnerable, with the €250 benefit to be distributed in November, while also returning rent to those renting homes. Clearly, this is not the only intervention regarding housing, but I ask you to highlight it. It is equivalent to an 8% reduction in rent.

We are the party of the family and the party that supports the regions, with the elimination of ENFIA in 12,710 settlements. We are the party that stands by the remote islands, which will see a 30% VAT reduction starting January 1, 2026.

ND is the party of the many when we promote tax relief affecting 4.3 million fellow citizens. It is also the party of the young, as no young person up to 25 years old with an income up to €20,000 will permanently pay income tax.

A non-negotiable compass is the building of a strong Greece, with priority on border protection, defense moves including upgraded salaries for armed forces personnel, and significant decisions taken at the last KYSEA meeting, such as proceeding not only with the acquisition of the 4th Bellhara helicopter but also with the upgrade of the other three.

Consolidating a sense of security everywhere is another priority. It is worth repeating that under ND governance, the next academic year will begin without any active occupations in Greek universities.

Another priority is reforms.

A further choice is to provide support through continuous tax reductions. This is a proven way to support disposable income and use tax relief as a buffer against inflation.

Five major economic and social changes will set the course. The first is tangible support for the middle class, families, and young people in the regions.

My proposal for ND parliamentary group secretary is Maximos Charakopoulos. He is a calm, steady voice and has a duty to give greater momentum to the parliamentary group. He is a colleague who has covered many miles for the party and in Parliament. We both entered Parliament in the 2004 elections. Best of luck in your new responsibilities, Maximos.

When we elected Apostolos Vesyropoulos, no one could imagine that the thread of his life would be cut so suddenly. We lost a worthy colleague; his example will always guide those who follow.