Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said Donald Trump’s election in the United States emphasized the urgent need to bolster European competitiveness, speaking from Budapest during an informal European Council summit, Friday evening.
Mitsotakis remarked on the discussions held with former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi emphasizing the significance of moving from rhetoric to action. Mitsotakis said that European economic issues need more robust and decisive approaches than previously implemented.
Innovation and Productivity
Addressing the council, Mitsotakis pointed to challenges in innovation and productivity, observing that Europe still lags behind in fostering new, innovative businesses.
Energy Challenges
On the pressing issue of energy competitiveness, another focal point of his comments, Mitsotakis noted, “It is widely recognized that Europe faces a significant competitiveness issue in the energy sector, despite substantial investments in renewable energy.” The Greek premier lauded the Budapest declaration for directly acknowledging distortions in energy pricing and underscored the urgency of tackling them.
Defense Spending Exemption
The Greek Prime Minister also broached the issue of strategic autonomy in defense, advocating for increased investment in the European defense industry. He noted that Greece allocates nearly 3% of its GDP to defense and proposed allowing part of such expenditures to be exempt from EU fiscal limit calculations.
Gerapetritis-Fidan Meeting
On the subject of Greek-Turkish relations, Mitsotakis referred to a meeting between Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, emphasizing that “normalcy should be the goal in neighborly relations,” reflecting on his interactions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Source: tovima.com
Latest News
Global Citrus Production Declines – Greece’s Outlook
In Greece, specifically, orange prices increased by 30.18% this Sept.
NATO Secretary General Rutte to visit Greece
Former Dutch PM Mark Rutte, the Alliance's new chief will first visit Ankara a day earlier to meet with Turkish leadership
PM Mitsotakis from Naxos: Decarbonization Fund to Facilitate Islands’ Green Transition
“The resources will help connect the islands to the mainland's electricity grid," he noted.
Retail Sales in Greece Up 0.8% in Q4 2024: ELSTAT
Retail businesses in the food and fuel sectors posted a turnover of €6.82 billion in Q3 2024, a 1.2% increase compared to €6.73 billion in Q3 2023
September in Greece Winning Tourists Over from US, Germany
Tourists continue to visit Greece off-season into Sept. with the number of inbound travelers up by 6.6% and a 7.9% rise in travel receipts.
Bank of Greece Governor Says EU will Retaliate to Trump’s Tarrifs
The Bank of Greece Governor defended the independence of central banks amid criticism from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who had publicly commented on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powel
September in Greece Winning Tourists Over from US, Germany
Tourists continue to visit Greece off-season into Sept. with the number of inbound travelers up by 6.6% and a 7.9% rise in travel receipts.
Bitcoin Surges Toward $100K Amid Pro-Crypto Optimism in US
According to Reuters, the cryptocurrency surged to an all-time high, briefly exceeding $96,898 during Asian trading hours.
Greek Driver Violations at a Touch of a Button
Traffic offences recorded in the last five years by Greece’s “Driver Behavior Control System” are now available on Gov.gr Wallet
Milan Tops List of Most Expensive Streets, Athens’ Ermou Holds Steady at 15th Place
In Athens, following Ermou Street is the southern suburb of Glyfada and Tsimiski Street in Thessaloniki.