Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the statements on Friday, Oct. 16, in Brussels at a press conference following the European Council summit held on Oct. 15–16. The remarks concerned Greece’s efforts to secure additional fiscal flexibility from the European Commission to introduce further measures to cushion households and businesses against rising energy costs.
Mitsotakis argued that Greece’s relatively strong fiscal position had enabled it to provide support exceeding 1 billion euros, while other EU member states faced tighter budgetary constraints.
The issue was also raised at the summit, where Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides called for urgent EU action to address rising energy costs. Athens is seeking a coordinated European response while maintaining the ability to introduce national support measures. No immediate EU-wide relief package was agreed, with the European Commission instead tasked with examining possible measures to support households and businesses.
Greece is seeking greater flexibility to introduce additional targeted and temporary measures without resorting to sweeping tax cuts or large-scale across-the-board subsidies. Areas of concern include heating costs, fuel prices and ferry services, particularly for island residents. Mitsotakis said the government would continue to assess developments in energy and consumer prices and adjust its response accordingly. He also pointed to existing and planned support measures, including a rent refund of up to 800 euros for eligible tenants, due at the end of November, as well as planned wage and pension increases and further tax reductions.
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Mitsotakis did not announce a new energy-relief package at the press conference. Rather, he reiterated Greece’s request for greater fiscal flexibility, said the European Commission had taken the request into account and indicated that Athens was awaiting its proposals. His remarks about the absence of a “Plan B” should therefore be understood in the context of the government’s existing national support measures and its continuing effort to secure additional room for action at EU level.