Shipping and Island Policy Minister Vasilis Kikilias gave an interview to Real FM 97.8, speaking with journalists Nikos Hatzinikolaou and Antonis Dellatolas.
On the cost of ferry tickets, Kikilias said prices have not gone up over the past two years, despite high fuel costs, the energy crisis, inflation, and an unstable global backdrop.
He described ferries and coastal shipping as a mass, everyday means of transport, saying he doesn’t see it as a luxury for a Greek family to be able to visit an island. He called it a necessity for Greeks, adding that the government and the Shipping Ministry have fought hard to keep prices in check.
The minister also pointed to newly announced discounts on high-speed ferries, ranging from 24% to 42%, arguing that competition is working in the ferry sector and giving families and groups more room to plan their summer travel on better terms.
Asked about connectivity for smaller islands, particularly during the winter months, he said funding for subsidized routes has risen from 150 million euros to 168 million euros a year, now tied to four-year tenders so local communities, municipalities, agencies, and the market can plan with more certainty. He called Greece’s islands “diamonds,” saying island life is both an asset and a patriotic duty.
Kikilias placed particular emphasis on maritime safety, noting that 1,300 routine and unannounced inspections have been carried out on ferries, tourist vessels, ferry crossings, and businesses tied to port operations. He said safety is the top priority and that there’s no room for shortcuts there, only strict enforcement and clear rules, urging the public to follow Coast Guard and port authority guidance whenever safety or weather conditions are in question.
Asked whether the country is effectively in campaign mode, the minister said the prime minister has proven himself to be institutional, and that the government has spent years traveling the country and communicating its work to citizens. He said he personally visits, every week, not just his own electoral district but especially the islands and wherever the ministry’s work is needed most.
Turning to maritime careers, ports, shipyards, energy, and shipping more broadly, Kikilias said these sectors can generate well paid jobs for the next generation. He called on Greek families to talk with their children again about careers at sea, framing it as a way to offer hope, direction, and strong pay to younger Greeks.
He also addressed the recent gas-canister attacks on the homes of New Democracy officials in Thessaloniki, saying such acts cannot be brushed off as pranks or dismissed as activism. He said lives are at risk, expressed strong confidence in the Greek Police and Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis, and said those responsible need to be caught and brought to justice.
Finally, addressing the building collapse in Kato Petralona, an area he has personal ties to since his family home is there, Kikilias said it isn’t his place to assign blame, since that’s a matter for the justice system. He noted that in a neighborhood full of children, parents, and grandparents, it was only by luck that there were no fatalities in the heart of Athens, calling that deeply troubling and concerning.
