With the economy presenting a steadily robust picture, the government was able to announce measures to support vulnerable households that are hardest hit by the rise in prices, especially food prices, without derailing public finances, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said during Thursday's press briefing regarding the plans to hand out 352 million euros in benefits to low-income groups in December.
He also highlighted recent high fines imposed on multinationals found to have violated laws on unfair profit margins, stressing that "the government was determined to strike profiteering at its root" and boost healthy competition in the market in every possible way.
Regarding a report on flood-stricken Thessaly, Marinakis said the government's aim was for the disaster to serve as a springboard for reorganising the area's infrastructure and agriculture from scratch, with improved flood protection and water management specifications, better irrigation and water storage and building of small dams.
He said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis intends to brief Parliament on the government's plans for Thessaly and the Evros region, as well as its actions for dealing with the climate crisis, on November 22.
In response to questions, Marinakis categorically denied that the government intends to raise the age of retirement or that it intends to abolish "two for the price of one" promotional discounts in supermarkets.
He concluded by unequivocally condemning an attack on opposition PASOK-Movement for Change party leader Nikos Androulakis, urging the other parties to "not instrumentalise anniversaries, such as that of the Polytechnic, for their own benefit."
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