Events now taking place thousands of kilometers away are now having a direct impact on Greece, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed in his regular review of the previous week, posted online every Sunday.
From geopolitical tensions and energy uncertainty to the changes in the economy, labor and the operation of the state, he stressed that all these were all connected and created a new environment of challenges but also opportunities.
Starting his review by referring to the “protracted geopolitical tension in the Middle East”, Mitsotakis emphasised that “this is not a distant crisis” and stressed the need for Europe to be both united, as demonstrated in the solidarity shown to Cyprus, but also prepared.
“We need a clear and actionable roadmap in case European territory comes under attack,” Mitsotakis stressed, while also referring to the Greek Patriot missile battery stationed in Saudi Arabia since 2021 to protect critical infrastructure, as part of their bilateral strategic cooperation. “Greece continues to act responsibly, reinforcing stability and security in the region,” he added.
He noted that the events in the Middle East have already caused a strong energy shock, with an immediate impact on households and businesses throughout Europe.
“At the European Council summit in Brussels we discussed the entire range of repercussions from the crisis, on energy prices, on consumers and businesses but also on migration. Targeted national interventions are demanded. At the same time, Europe must have a specific toolbox, capable of offering temporary and targeted support to households and businesses. This is the other aspect of competitiveness that we discussed at length in the European Council, so that we are not faced with an energy crisis,” he said.
Mitsotakis noted that the recent attacks on critical energy infrastructure in the countries in the Middle East have put additional pressure on global supply chains and are affecting global energy prices. He pointed out that Greece, together with France, supported a proposal for a moratorium on attacks on energy infrastructure as a key step for deescalation, while at the same time strengthening Europe’s defenses. He said EU leaders had also discussed “how to give real content to the EU mutual assistance clause,” noting that the support for Cyprus had shown that Europe can be united.
