Μake us preferred on Google Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis touched down in Thessaloniki Friday for two days of appearances ahead of the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair, where he is set to deliver Saturday night’s keynote address laying out the government’s economic policy for the months and years ahead.
Friday’s itinerary includes stops at Papanikolaou General Hospital, an under construction swimming center in Ampelokipoi Menemeni and the 5th Primary School of Ampelokipoi, followed by a briefing for journalists organized by government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis.
On Saturday, Mitsotakis will meet the board of HELEXPO, which runs the fairgrounds, tour the pavilions, then deliver the fair’s keynote address at 8 p.m. at the Ioannis Vellidis Congress Center. He is expected to unveil a package of measures worth close to 2 billion euros for 2027 and lay out a longer term vision he has called Greece of 2030, at what officials describe as a more overtly pre election edition of the fair than in past years. A closing press conference is set for noon Sunday, also at the Vellideio.
Reuters reported earlier that the package the PM is set to unveil is worth more than 2 billion euros, or about 1% of gross domestic product, and will include pension increases, a further rise in the minimum wage, tax breaks for the self employed and small businesses, and relief for farmers. Three government officials touted the measures to Reuters as wide-ranging and insisted they would reach almost every social group without jeopardizing the country’s finances.
The political stakes are high. New Democracy party won reelection in 2023 with 40.5% of the vote on a promise of stability and rising incomes. Its support has since slipped to about 29% amid a prolonged cost of living crisis, persistent inflation and corruption allegations, including the OPEKEPE farm subsidy scandal that has led to resignations and a hefty EU fine, as well the Predator surveillance scandal.
Demonstrations planned around the fair
Disgruntled farmers, who formed roadblocks across the country in December and January are among the groups the government is trying to win back in what officials are already calling the second chance TIF.
A series of demonstrations however are already underway. On Friday health care workers marched through the city’s hospitals, while paramedics from the National Center for Emergency Care, and later police and firefighters held separate rallies near the White Tower, Thessaloniki’s seaside landmark.
Farmers plan to bring at least 20 tractors into the city center Saturday, according to the organizers of the planned demonstrations. Thousands of farmers, livestock breeders, fishermen and beekeepers are expected to converge on the White Tower from 5 p.m., some driving tractors in from nearby towns and villages and others arriving by car and chartered bus from across the country. Livestock farmers say outbreaks of sheep and goat pox and foot and mouth disease have wiped out entire herds in recent months, with no solution found beyond culling the animals. The farmers will be joined by the country’s two largest labor confederations, GSEE and PAME, engineering unions, students, anti establishment groups and relatives of victims of the 2023 Tempi rail disaster, with marches converging on the area around the Vellideio congress center just as the prime minister’s speech gets underway.
The Hellenic Police have announced a stepped-up security plan for the fair’s opening that includes more than 3,500 officers on duty, drones and preventive checks, along with heavy traffic restrictions in central Thessaloniki from midafternoon.
