PM KYRIAKOS MITSOTAKIS

If a coalition government were to be formed, the most desirable partner for ND would be PASOK, whose new leader Nikos Androulakis has for now ruled out the prospect.

In the current war and the resulting international political crisis, the PM adopted a clear and direct stance against the Russian invasion and its revisionist foundations.

'The idea is to make an ecosystem which combines knowledge and innovation and will have a positive impact on the economy. The essence of the economy is not just money. It is to provide solutions to real problems affecting society,' says the head of Greece's National Council on Research, Technology, and Innovation.

Since Mr. Mitsotakis has declared that he intends to meet creditors’ demand (to which Greece has signed on) for a 3.5 percent primary surplus over the next two years the fiscal space is exceptionally narrow.

The debate centred exclusively on the personal choices of the two party leaders rather than on broader institutional and national issues.

Mitsotakis maintained that lowering the primary surplus targets is feasible 'when we demonstrate in practice our reform dynamic'.

The message from creditors was first move forward with reforms so as to give the economy a strong growth impetus and then one can discuss changing targets.

Apparently alluding to Mitsotakis’ stated hope of persuading creditors to lower the primary surplus target, he said that Greece needs more fiscal space in order to implement structural reforms and achieve a higher growth rate.

Civil Protection Minister Mihalis Chrisochoidis, at the scene, said Greece was mourning the loss of life, adding: “In coming days all damage will be repaired.”

The PM and his ministers may say that they are prepared and have specific plans to deal with the critical issues that they face, but the solutions are anything but simple.

The PM appears determined to move forward swiftly, as his meeting with his economic team yesterday evening made clear.

Mitsotakis has tapped Ioannina MP Konstantinos Tasoulas, a protégé of the late conservative ND leader Evangelos Averof, as the next Parliament Speaker.