Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis used his weekly Sunday review post to touch on several topics: a significant milestone in the country’s energy policy, environmental protections ahead of summer, and a personal tribute on Mother’s Day.
Greece flips from energy importer to exporter
The most substantive policy announcement concerned new regulations introduced by the Ministry of Environment aimed at accelerating Greece’s renewable energy capacity, a push given added urgency by the ongoing instability in the Persian Gulf and its ripple effects on global energy markets.
Mitsotakis framed the changes as part of a broader transformation already underway: Greece, he said, has over the past two years shifted from being an energy-importing country to an net-exporter, a reversal he described as a collective achievement. The new legislation sets a target of 700 MW of renewable energy storage capacity by the end of 2026, rising to 1 GW by 2027. It also promises cleaner and more affordable energy, greater protections for Natura 2000 network areas, and more practical solutions for households and businesses.
251 protected beaches
The review also highlighted an expansion of Greece’s “Untouched Beaches” program, a government initiative that designates coastlines of special ecological and geomorphological value where commercial activity and development are prohibited. Thirteen new areas were added, spanning the smaller Cyclades islands, Limnos, Crete, and Lefkada, bringing the total number of protected beaches nationwide to 251.
A Mother’s Day tribute
With the review falling on Mother’s Day, Mitsotakis opened with a personal note about his late mother, Marika, whom he described as having a strong personality alongside vast reserves of patience and tenderness. He extended wishes to all mothers and added a message of remembrance for those, like himself, who have lost their mothers: those no longer with us deserve to be kept in memory and in the heart, in that special place only they can occupy.
