Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis outlined his program for child protection from social media and Greece’s economic progress in his last address for 2024 on a Facebook post.
The Greek PM started his post saying that while other European countries cannot ratify a 2025 budget, Greece is making steady steps towards progress in the economy and social benefits.
The 2025 budget includes the complete exemption from pharmaceutical costs for an additional 132,000. Also, dividends of 100 euros per month will be given to police officers and members of the armed forces.
Mitsotakis further said that the government has acted decisively in the banking sector with 10 new initiatives to limit bank fees and strengthen competition. The government have sent a message of fairness and common sense against practices that disproportionately burdened the banking and interbank transactions of individuals and small and medium-sized businesses.
Businesses and the EU Recovery Fund
In regard to small and medium-sized businesses, Mitsotakis noted, Greece has implemented the “Digital Tools” program that will give subsidies ranging from 600 to 1,600 euros to acquire customer support applications, as well as tablets, laptops, desktop computers and video conferencing systems.
Also, for big businesses a total of 42,000,000 euros will be allocated in the first phase of the “Digital Transformation of Enterprises” program. So far, over 46,000 small and medium-sized businesses operating in a wide range of sectors of the economy were upgraded and 132,000,000 euros were allocated. Both programs are financed by the EU Recovery Fund.
Mitsotakis said that Greece has already completed 135 reform and investment milestones with a little more than 50% of the fund’s resources, i.e., just over 18 billion euros. In the next 20 months, the remaining of the Fund will finance the investments and reforms that constitute the backbone of the national plan that will improve the daily lives of millions of citizens.
Public works and infrastructure
On public works and infrastructure, the Greek prime minister wrote that construction of the new Ioannina-Kakavia road axis starts and will complete the Ionian Highway that will start from Antirrio and end at the Kakavia border station. The project is crucial for the Regional Unit of Ioannina, but also for the important interconnection with Albania.
Mitsotakis also wrote that within the framework of the Just Development Transition Program, 100 investment projects were approved, which will create 592 jobs in the Regional Unit of Florina. Of these, 79 projects are from very small and small businesses, giving particular emphasis to local needs.
Children and addiction to social media
Mitsotakis stressed that on the crucial issue of children and young people’s addiction to social media no scientific documentation is needed. The government has called on a public debate on the issue, asking parents to become allies in the effort to draw up an effective policy to address digital addiction.
The Greek PM wrote that on December 30, a special event with all pertinent ministers will be held to present a comprehensive plan for addressing the problem. In the first phase, there will be a platform called parco.gov.gr, with all the instructions on how a parent can activate settings on their child’s mobile phone that will protect them both from prolonged use and from viewing content that is problematic, offensive or dangerous for the minor.
In the first quarter of 2025, the digital application “Kids Wallet” will be available that will further facilitate parents in limiting their children’s misuse of mobile phones, as well as their exposure to inappropriate or addictive content. At the same time, an information campaign will be launched to help parents make use of these tools.
Furthermore, the government will seek cooperation with providers in order to harmonize practices and shape a new framework that will protect children by developing corresponding protection applications. The aim is to build an environment that will protect children from excessive use and/or abuse of technology, without depriving them of the possibilities it offers. The key is balance, Mitsotakis noted.
As for minor offenders, the Greek PM said that the new Penal Code provides that delinquent young people aged 12-18 will not be confined to prisons, nor in custodial services, but they will be able to attend sports and cultural programs with the aim of socializing them through coexistence with role models. The reformative measure of monitoring sports programs in the first phase has already progressed in the regional units of Attica, Ioannina, Lassithi, Chania and Kastoria. A program of participation in cultural, mainly theatrical activities will soon follow.
Food prices and taxation
Regarding food inflation, Mitsotakis wrote that according to EUROSTAT, in November, Greece had the second lowest inflation in food products among the 27 EU members. The government continues market controls which are paying off.
On taxes and value-added tax (VAT) evasion, the European Commission found a significant reduction in the VAT gap in Greece in 2022 compared to 2021. Greece achieved the fourth best performance among the 27 E.U. member states. In 2022, the VAT gap dropped to 13.7%, from 17.5% in 2021.
Greece has achieved that due to eleven new tools introduced last year to limit tax evasion and are already producing very positive results: In the first nine months, VAT revenues increased by 11.2%. This is due to the interconnection of POS with cash registers and the use of the myDATA system, which added 1.8 billion euros in VAT revenues in 2024. For 2025, additional digital tools have been activated, so that Greece will reach the target for a VAT gap at the EU average, i.e. 7%.
Health and national defense
A new, important health policy that has been included in the EU Recovery Fund is the implementation of preventive prenatal screenings for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Severe Combined Immunodeficiency in newborns, with funding of 2,022,440 euros to the Institute of Child Health. Spinal Muscular Atrophy is one of the most serious genetic diseases in Greece. Early diagnosis allows for immediate initiation of treatment, which will allow for the successful treatment of the disease, as existing treatments are most effective in the pre-symptomatic stage, Mitsotakis wrote.
The Greek prime minister continued with the issue of enhancing the armed forces. “Strong Greece” means primarily “Safe Greece,” Mitsotakis wrote and stressed the importance of adapting to the new type of hybrid threats and cyberwar. A special building will be erected to house the Special Cyberspace Unit at the “General Alexandros Papagos” Camp, according to the most modern standards of equipment and security. It is the “1864” Unit, which together with the newly established Electronic Information Units (“Unit 1821”) and Space Applications (“Unit 1912”) aspires to bring Greece into a new era. The building will be constructed with a donation from the “Athanassios K. Laskaridis Public Benefit Foundation.”
Also, by December 31, the first phase of the abolition of five camps and the merger of six others in various regions of the country will be completed as part of the reorganization of the Armed Forces and their new structure. The second phase will be implemented by March 31, 2025. Immediately after that, the National Defense Fund will lay the plans for the optimal utilization of the sites.
The Greek prime minister concluded the post with two important announcements for the field of culture. The first concerns the Maria Callas Museum, which is a candidate along 40 other museums from all over Europe for the European Museum of the Year 2025 Award. The second news is concerns the Exhibition of South African artist Penny Siopis, which was hosted at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens and was characterized by the prestigious art magazine Frieze as one of the 10 best of 2024 in Europe.