The prime minister spoke at a gathering of citizens in Vonitsa Kyriakos Mitsotakis after his surrender ceremony of the new road axis Aktio-Ambrakia, at noon on Wednesday (31/1).
The prime minister emphasized that: “on Friday, Saturday at the latest, we will finally open the Amfilochia-Aktio highway to traffic, a vital project for the region”.
“And because I talk to a lot of investors and I see the interest in the wider area, what they’ve always told us: ‘make sure we have safe and secure access.’ We have an airport, we have a road and the future for this very beautiful corner of Greece is extremely optimistic,” he added.
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At the same time, the prime minister also referred to the meeting he had with the farmers in the block of the area: “Despite the difficulties, and there are difficulties, let’s not kid ourselves, we know exactly how much Greek households are suffering, I met farmer friends a while ago who express they their justified anxiety to increase production costs, what I want to tell you again here from Vonica is that precisely because our economy is doing better and because the country has now entered a path of sustainable development, we have the ability to raise “banks” against these temporary difficulties” . “And our farmers we will help and our fellow citizens who are being tested from accuracy we will continue to support them. And wages in our country will continue to increase, supporting in this way disposable income” added Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
What the prime minister said in detail:
Thank you, Mayor. President, friends, good day. We left Athens in sleet and arrived in Vonitsa in sunshine. Of course, Vonitsa is Gourlid, because the last time I came there were double elections and you elected us an independent government again, so we expect a similar result in the European elections now.
As you know, I am here today for a very important reason: because on Friday, Saturday at the latest, we will finally open the Amfilochia-Aktio highway to traffic, a vital project for the region.
I know very well how much you have been concerned about the issue of this road and I want to remind you that four years ago our own government unblocked a project that was stuck in the gears of bureaucracy. And today we can deliver a modern road, a safe road, a road that will unlock, my dear Mayor, new development prospects for the entire region of western Etoloakarnania.
And because I talk to many investors and see the interest in the wider area, what they always told us: “make sure we have safe and secure access”. We have an airport, we have a road and the future for this very beautiful corner of Greece is extremely optimistic.
Despite the difficulties, and there are difficulties, let’s not kid ourselves, we know exactly how much Greek households suffer, I met some farmer friends a while ago who also express their justified anxiety about the increase in production costs, what I want to tell you say again here from Vonica is that precisely because our economy is doing better and because the country is now on a path of sustainable development, we have the ability to build “banks” in the face of these temporary difficulties.
And we will help our farmers and our fellow citizens who are tested by accuracy we will continue to support them. And wages in our country will continue to rise, thus supporting disposable income.
You elected us a self-reliant government again six months ago and I undertook an obligation to you: to continue and accelerate this work, the deep reform work of the government. That’s exactly what we do.
And of course the imprint of development and advancement must be able to reach every corner of Greece. There are no second-class citizens for us. There are no forgotten Greeks. And a region of the country, Western Greece, which you may rightly feel has been forgotten, is now coming strongly to the fore, and I think for that we have every reason, one and all, to be very happy.
We will cooperate, my dear Mayor, with the Local Government, as we have done for so many years now. We want strong Municipalities, so they can solve your own local problems.
We will also cooperate with your Regional Governors. Here, you know, three Regions meet: Western Greece meets Epirus – I see both the Regional Governor of Epirus, and the Regional Governor of your region and the Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands. You are a peculiar “third international” here.
And this is what makes me believe that indeed the growth that Western Greece will see will be greater than the rest of our country, precisely because you were left behind and now it is time to make up for lost ground.
Again, friends, I want to say a big “thank you” from the bottom of my heart. I want to say a big “thank you” to all those who trusted us in the double elections last summer.
And let me repeat to you that for you and for me personally this relationship of trust that we have built is one that I honor and will serve as long as I am in this office.
So thank you again so much for your love. I wish everyone a good year. And of course, the new road should be well-traveled and convenient for the wider area. Thank you very much, be well.
Mitsotakis at farmers’ block in Vonitsa: We are not here to fight, but to solve problems
Earlier, Kyriakos Mitsotakis had a meeting and dialogue with farmers in the Vonitsa block at noon on Wednesday after his presence at the inauguration of the Aktiou-Ambrakia road axis.
THE Prime Minister after listening to the demands of the peasants he told them that “you will neither become waiters nor leave for Germany. For me his support primary sector it is a first political priority. I know the problems first hand. During these difficult 4 years, the government stood as close as possible to the farmers, with the support of ELGA with compensations of 1 billion euros, with a reduction in VAT on fertilizers and animal feed.”
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“We are always open to see what we can do better both at national and European level. We know the outstanding issues with the cost of the drive and diesel and as far as possible, because the financial possibilities are not unlimited, we will do our best” continued the Prime Minister.
“You remember where his prices were of milk 4 years ago and where they are, they are better now because we fought and are fighting against illegal Greekizations. We will crush them and we will persist in this effort. And since I am going to Brussels now I will tell you something because I think it should be European policy as a whole: we cannot impose on our farmers and breeders a cost for adapting to climate change and at the same time import products from countries that do not they have the same obligations and they don’t have the same high standards in their products,” the prime minister added.
“What I want to convey to you and thank you for the kind and dignified way of communicating, both with the ministry and with me personally, I want you to know that we will do our best and the better the economy is doing the more resources we will have to support the primary sector. Thank you very much, I know that things are difficult, I am not naive, it is not only difficult here, you can also see what is happening all over Europe. I want us to keep this civilized dialogue because we are not here to fight but to solve problems” added Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
“Keep the emphasis we want to give to electricity and all cost reduction factors, but above all to be able to get the prices that Greek quality products deserve” concluded the dialogue he had with the farmers.
The representative of farmers who spoke to prime minister he immediately asked the government to proceed with measures to support the primary sector, to set minimum prices for our products, to change the ELGA regulation, to reduce production costs and to create infrastructure projects in the countryside. “We are fighting for survival, the country without a primary sector will not be called a country” he characteristically told Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
What was said in detail:
“You know very well that supporting the primary sector is for us and for me personally the first political priority. I know the problems and I know them firsthand. But you also know that during these four difficult years the government stood, as far as possible, close to the farmers. And with a reduction in taxation and an increase in the financial support we gave to ELGA. We have given out more than €1 billion in compensation over the last four years, only €500 million coming from farmers’ contributions, and reducing VAT on animal feed and fertilizers where we could intervene. And we are always open to see what we can do better, both nationally and at the European level, to reduce the cost of production, to reduce the cost of electricity. We have already succeeded and secured relatively reasonable prices on the crisis but we want to reduce it more. We know the backlog and the issues that have to do with the cost of traffic and diesel. So here we are and to discuss them and to the extent possible, I want to emphasize this, because the fiscal possibilities are not endless – I think that’s something you recognize – to do the best we can for the primary sector”said Kyriakos Mitsotakis, after listening to the farmers’ representatives.
“I want to convey to you – and I thank you first of all for the very kind and very polite way of communication, this is the way we discuss them, we will discuss them exhaustively with the Ministry and with me personally – I want you to know that we will do our best possible.
And the better the economy does overall, as we did last year with the return of the Excise Duty (on agricultural oil), the more resources we will have to be able to support the primary sector.
So, thank you very much. I know things are difficult, I’m not naive. It is not only difficult here, you see, all over Europe we have mobilizations. I want us to keep this good and civilized and nice climate of dialogue because we are here primarily, not to fight, to solve problems”, noted Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and added: “However, keep the emphasis we want to put on electricity electricity and all the cost factors, but above all to be able to get the prices that quality Greek products deserve”.
“We are on the side of the road, we are not blocking any roads, we are not creating any problems in the first place. We are here because we are really fighting for survival. I think you know this too. In time, our requests, which are requests for survival, have reached you and the Ministry much more”the representative of the gathered growers and breeders told the Prime Minister.
“Tell us what the plan is, if there is a plan tell us, so that we too can command, or become waiters, or leave for Germany”he added. “Neither will you become a waiter, nor will you leave for Germany”replied Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
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