For the moments of joy and pride he experienced at the reception of the frigate Kimon, the first Greek Belharra, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote, among other things, in his Sunday post.

Mitsotakis refers to “a historic milestone for National Defence and an important link – along with the other three that follow us – in strengthening the deterrent capability of our country, so that it is not questioned by anyone.”

Regarding Monday’s meeting with farmers, the prime minister noted that “from the first moment it was clear that the government chooses dialogue, but without easy promises and without moves that would undermine the overall effort to stabilize the economy” and added that “our goal is not piecemeal solutions, but a fair, transparent and effective system of agricultural support. A system that supports real producers, without unfairness to the rest of society, and that gives the primary sector the prospect of better products and higher incomes.”

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Full post by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis

What a week this has been! One of those that remind you that politics is not just about managing the news. It is, above all, responsibility. Responsibility to see a little further, to take decisions that build stability, security and direction for tomorrow. And this week has had just that burden. In all that has happened, there has been something that belongs to continuity, not to circumstance.

I refer, of course, to the formal induction of the first Belharra frigate into our Navy, a historic milestone for National Defence and an important link – along with the other three that follow – in strengthening our country’s deterrent capability, lest anyone question it.

Greece is a pole of stability and solvency in the Eastern Mediterranean, seeking good neighbourly relations and cooperation with the states of the region, but at the same time upgrading its Armed Forces both in terms of the means at its disposal and in terms of strengthening its human resources. The moments I experienced on the bridge and on the deck of the “Kimon” made me feel great joy and pride. And I believe this is what all Greeks felt. The first duty of every government, of every political leadership, and mine as Prime Minister, is to deliver a country safer than the one I received. We have taken a very important step in that direction. I will also wish from here that “Kimonas” is well received and with good fortune we welcome the other three state-of-the-art Belharra frigates, which will join our Navy within the next 18 months.

Defence and economic security are interrelated concepts. One cannot exist without the other and, together with political stability, they are the sufficient and necessary condition for the prosperity and freedom of the many. When a country can invest in its security without undermining its fiscal stability, that is a sign of seriousness. And it is precisely this seriousness that the markets recognised in the recent issuance of Greece’s 10-year bond by the Public Debt Management Agency. Interest exceeded all expectations, with bids reaching €49.5 billion from 330 investors. Greece raised €4 billion at a lower yield than last year, despite rising European interest rates. This is the most convincing answer to those who question the value of the investment tier: lower borrowing costs for the state, businesses and citizens, and more fiscal space for policies to support the most vulnerable, young people and the periphery.

I turn now to the agricultural issue, an issue that has been at the forefront for almost 50 days. From the very first moment it was clear that the government is opting for dialogue, but without easy promises and without moves that would undermine the overall effort to stabilize the economy. Last Tuesday I had a meaningful and frank discussion with farmers’ representatives, during which all views were heard and proposals were considered based on the real potential of the economy. Some of them were accepted, such as the extension of low-price electricity beneficiaries and the provision of oil without special tax from now on, as well as without VAT on the discount they will receive. Farmers are aware that the framework of interventions that the government can make has practically been announced. And this framework is clearly defined by the budgetary margins, which we have exhausted, social justice and European rules. Tomorrow I will meet with the other farmers’ representatives who did not come to Tuesday’s meeting. At the same time, specifically on the issues of the Greek livestock sector, which has been severely affected by smallpox, a separate meeting with the representatives of the sector will follow very soon. Our aim is not piecemeal solutions, but a fair, transparent and effective system of agricultural aid. A system that supports real producers without being unfair to the rest of society, and that gives the primary sector the prospect of better products and higher incomes.

Moving on to the other issues in today’s review, let’s move on to unemployment, which I have to tell you is at historically low levels for our country. Without wanting to bore you, I will quote some data that have just been released: our country recorded the highest increase in the employment rate among all OECD countries in Q3 2025, compared to Q3 2024 In the 15-64 age group, the employment rate stood at 64.6%, up 1.4 percentage points in one year, which is the highest level of employment ever recorded in the country. This progress must – and we want it to – continue to affect more and more people. So the year begins with a new programme from the DAFA to boost female employment, particularly for mothers of minor children. Subsidies are being provided to businesses to hire 10,000 unemployed women aged 18 and over, with priority given to those with children up to 15 years old, for 5,000 new full-time jobs and 5,000 part-time jobs. Another programme aimed at facilitating the return to work and actively supporting the balance between family and professional life.

Another issue from the field of labour concerns the implementation of the historic Social Agreement signed last November to restore Collective Labour Agreements. By decision of the Minister of Labour, the collective agreement in the private insurance sector is now extended to the entire industry, covering some 50,000 workers. This means that the pay and working conditions apply to all workers, regardless of whether they are members of the organisations that signed the agreement. Whatever favourable provisions on wages, benefits and leave are now applicable to all, without exception. With the Social Agreement, more Collective Agreements can be signed and extended, ensuring fair working conditions, protection, dignity and a stable and predictable framework that supports both the worker and the company.

The same logic of action and results continues in health care, with the results of the reforms we are implementing already beginning to be seen. In 2025, there was a 29% reduction in the total number of patients on the Single Surgery List, down from 117,494 to 83,457. Even more significant, however, is the 52% reduction recorded in the total number of patients waiting more than 4 months over the same period, from almost 67,000 to almost 32,000, as well as the reduction in the number of cases on hold before 2023, from 34,460 to 1,114. The contribution of free evening surgeries was decisive, with 11,342 free surgeries performed in 70 hospitals across the country. What contributed to these results? A combination of interventions we made, from increasing the number of regular morning surgeries, to the introduction of afternoon surgeries and vouchers in private clinics. With another major reform, the ‘wristband’, we were able to reduce the average waiting time for on-call services by over 65% by 2025. Have we solved everything? Of course not, which is why we are not stopping our efforts. But let’s agree that the NHS is changing, serving patients better and faster.

In the justice sector, I have had the opportunity to see first-hand how reform is changing everyday life in practice. Together with a lawyer, I watched step-by-step the operation of the digital court file that was recently put into production. In just ten minutes, from his office computer, the filing of a lawsuit for a Land Registry case was completed, a process that until recently required at least two working days, travel and paperwork. Now, with digital filing, a trial date is automatically set, so that cases are determined in a matter of months instead of years. This is the change we seek: less hassle, more speed and a Justice system that is moving into a new era. Congratulations to those who worked to make this project a reality.

The Greek Parliament ratified the new agreement between the Greek State and the Italian railway group Ferrovie dello Stato and its subsidiary Hellenic Train, a particularly positive development for the Greek railway, the signing of which activates the order of 23 brand new trains, with an investment by the Italian government and the delivery of the first trains within 18 months. This is the largest investment in land transport in the country, worth €308 million. This is the first time since the Olympic Games that Greece has acquired new trains, not second-hand ones. With the arrival of the new trains and the completion of the works on the Athens-Thessaloniki main axis, the aim is to reduce the duration of the journeys to less than 3.5 hours.

I would like to dwell on a particularly important moment for the Greek State and the Muslim minority of Thrace: the recent swearing in of the new Mufti of Didymoteicho, Emin Serif. For the first time, the modern institutional framework that we adopted in 2022 for the operation of the Muftis was implemented in practice, ensuring a reliable and transparent selection process for the representatives of the minority. A process fully in line with the Constitution, the Lausanne Treaty and European law. This is an essential step that confirms that Greece is a country that respects diversity and invests in institutional order and the peaceful coexistence of its citizens, irrespective of their religious beliefs. In a world beset by tensions and divisions, dialogue, understanding and trust in institutions remain the only stable path to progress and social cohesion.

I will close with something very optimistic. The major organ donation awareness campaign launched last October added 30,000 new donors to the National Registry and led to an increase in transplants. With a little push, a big give from one fellow human being to another. Behind the numbers lie lives extended, families given hope, and a society that proves it can become more inclusive. I remembered something Dionysis Savvopoulos said: ‘The value of life is to be able to surpass yourself. To share it with others in order to make something beautiful.” With this I bid you farewell today. Good morning!.