At a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis unveiled the government’s plan for a new, protected system to calculate the minimum wage, pledging to raise the minimum to €950 monthly by the end of his term in 2027.
This new system, he explained, will enshrine a ban on minimum wage reductions in law, ensuring only increases based on economic growth, productivity, and inflation rates affecting low-income households.
"The new increase in the basic wage, with the target of €950 in 2027, will bring wage stability and protect workers from income reductions," Mitsotakis stated. He added that as productivity and economic conditions improve, so too will wages, designed to offset inflation and rising prices.
The prime minister emphasised that the reforms aim to boost average monthly salaries to €1,500 by 2027—an increase of nearly 50% from 2019 levels. He confirmed that civil servants' starting salaries would align with the national minimum, reflecting the government's commitment to improving conditions across the workforce.
In addition to wage protections, Mitsotakis detailed fiscal policies, including a reduction in 50-plus taxes and social insurance contributions. Greece, he highlighted, has achieved primary budget surpluses in contrast to rising deficits in other European nations, balancing fiscal responsibility with “tax justice.”
The government also plans new protocols for income tax submissions, with firm deadlines from March to July, eliminating extensions and introducing discounts for timely submissions. Mitsotakis also announced upcoming initiatives for performing arts education, with the establishment of a Higher School of Performing Arts, integrating several major institutions under the education ministry’s supervision.
On foreign policy, Mitsotakis expressed support for Spain following catastrophic floods in Valencia, underscoring the importance of civil defense and preventive evacuations. He also noted his upcoming meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, commending recent advances in U.S.-Cyprus relations. The White House visit by a Cypriot leader for the first time in 28 years, Mitsotakis said, signals strengthened diplomatic ties and Cyprus’s role in regional stability amid Middle Eastern tensions.