Editorial Ta Nea: The message

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his weekend address and news conference in Thessaloniki sent a clear message that the government will offer all the necessary support in the difficult coming months to social groups that will be hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic.

The PM pledged to take all necessary measures to protect workers and employees who are most threatened by the impact of the uncertainty and the huge economic tempest triggered by the pandemic.

Mitsotakis said his message was one of self-confidence in the face of the fear stirred in households and businesses by the murky terrain of the coming months both on the economic and public health front.

It is necessary for that pledge to be fulfilled because it is on that basis that the government will be judged.

It must make decisions and implement them in a timely and effective manner in an environment that is fraught with traps, uncertainties, and surprises. That will determine whether the government will rise to the occasion and meet the great expectations of Greek society.

The PM’s policy announcements at the Thessaloniki International Fair were measured, focused, and clear.

They are forward-looking, do not exceed the endurance of the Greek economy, and will not hastily squander capital reserves that may be necessary in the future.

The abolition of the mandatory “solidarity contribution” for private sector employees as of 2021 and the reduction of insurance contributions for both workers and employers will correct the injustices and prejudices of the past decade.

They lay the groundwork for bolstering the economy, offering relief to the middle class, and launching the growth of the Greek economy.