Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday said the goal of his center-right government is none other than to surpass expectations and achieve a triumph over the next decade.

Mitsotakis, speaking at an event in central Athens hosted by the Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE) in honor of late Greek industrialist Theodoros Papalexopoulos – one of the foundation’s founders – made the statement in answer to a question on whether a “return to reality means a return to where we were, or, surpassing the past.”

In reply, the Greek premier, whose approval rating among poll respondents continues to outpace all other opposition political leaders, said Greece in the 1960s and 1970s achieved the highest rate of growth, behind only Japan. “…and our expectations over the course of this decade is to achieve something comparable, not to compromise; not to be in the European average. We want the next decade to serve almost as a triumph, to surpass expectations.”

At the same, Mitsotakis departed from his usual pro-business and pro-reform platforms, saying the past decade of a punishing economic downturn has dramatically changes attitudes in the country, “for instance, employers have understood that a new role is required, beyond simply distributing profits to shareholders; you need to leave a wider social footprint. Our government has made things easier by reducing taxes and contributions, and by ensuring stability. It’s now time for the business community to support employment, for a growth dividend to be distributed.”

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