Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in Kozani on August 28 that the national minimum wage will pass 950 euros before elections in spring 2027.
Speaking during a visit to Western Macedonia one week before the Thessaloniki International Fair, Mitsotakis outlined his government's economic agenda and defended its record in regional development.
The announcement sets a clear fiscal target ahead of the next parliamentary vote, framing the ruling New Democracy party as the sole guarantor of political stability and economic growth.
Mitsotakis has served as Prime Minister of Greece since July 2019, leading the center-right New Democracy party. Kozani is a city in northern Greece that serves as the administrative capital of the Western Macedonia region.
Economic commitments and national wage targets
Addressing citizens in Kozani, Mitsotakis recalled his 2023 campaign pledge that the minimum wage would reach 950 euros during his term. He stated with certainty that the monthly minimum wage will now exceed 950 euros before the next national elections.
He added that the average full-time wage in Greece has already passed 1,500 euros, fulfilling another commitment made to voters in 2023.
Unemployment across the country has dropped to its lowest level in 20 years, according to the prime minister. He described Greece as one of the few European nations producing primary budget surpluses, providing the necessary fiscal space to lower taxes, increase pensions, and raise wages.
Mitsotakis said government support for society depends on maintaining solid fiscal foundations. He emphasized that wealth must first be generated before it can be distributed, defining this approach as the primary distinction between New Democracy and political competitors.
The prime minister stated that the government aims to extend broader economic prosperity to every citizen across Greece, reaching remote villages as well as major urban centers.
Political debate and 2030 strategic plan
Mitsotakis signaled that his upcoming speech at the Thessaloniki International Fair will present a comprehensive planning roadmap extending to 2030, alongside the standard annual budget plan for the next year.
The fair will mark his eighth appearance as prime minister and will be the final international fair held before the parliamentary elections scheduled for spring 2027.
The Thessaloniki International Fair is an annual commercial exhibition in northern Greece where prime ministers traditionally deliver a major address detailing national economic policy each September.
Mitsotakis described the event as an opportunity for an honest accounting of government performance, assessing how consistently his administration has fulfilled its commitments.
Directing criticism at opposition political parties, Mitsotakis said rival factions share only a common objective to remove New Democracy and himself from office. He argued that the opposition lacks a governing program and operates as if the country could be managed by a magic plan.
He declared that citizens possess memory and judgment, adding that New Democracy remains the only political force capable of maintaining stability during challenging geopolitical and economic times.
Acknowledging past difficulties, Mitsotakis noted that delays had occurred in the agricultural sector during a complex administrative reform. He said integrating the agricultural payment agency OPEKEPE into the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) has improved operations, with recent disbursements ensuring that the majority of honest farmers and livestock breeders receive higher payments.
Industrial investments across Western Macedonia
Focusing on local conditions in Western Macedonia, Mitsotakis discussed the regional transition away from lignite coal energy production. He noted that while coal phase-out began prior to 2019, his administration made a deliberate choice in 2019 to secure funding for an organized Just Transition plan aimed at creating more jobs than those lost in mining.
Initial local skepticism surrounding the plan has begun turning into cautious optimism, Mitsotakis said, expressing confidence that the net employment balance in Western Macedonia will remain positive.
Approximately 700 small, medium, and large investment projects are currently underway across the region. During a morning tour that began in Florina before ending in Kozani, Mitsotakis visited several key business sites.
Near the abandoned power plant in Kardia, he inspected an investment by agriculture firm Wonderplant. The company previously built a hydroponic tomato greenhouse in Drama that created 440 jobs using low water volumes and self-generated electricity. Mitsotakis said Wonderplant will establish a similar facility in Kardia within 12 to 18 months.
He also visited the Tottis industrial plant, which is set to add 200 jobs, and highlighted municipal enterprise Xino Nero. The municipal mineral water company expanded its annual turnover from 1.5 million euros to a projected 10 million euros this year, growing its staff from eight to 70 workers with support from government development laws.
Mitsotakis referenced additional growth in local wineries, small tourism businesses, and winter sports infrastructure. Regional projects include road construction to Vasilitsa in Grevena, the privatization of a local ski center, and investments in Pisoderi.
Healthcare projects and transport infrastructure
In the healthcare sector, Mitsotakis highlighted major state infrastructure investments in the region. He visited the Mamatsio Hospital in Kozani to view its new hospital wing, following his attendance at its foundation laying three years earlier. Official inauguration of the wing will take place in the coming months.
The hospital emergency department was renovated using funding from the European Union Recovery Fund and was inaugurated by the Health Minister over a month ago. Mitsotakis added that 23 million euros from the Just Transition program will fund the complete reconstruction of the hospital's original 1950s building once a regional tender is issued.
Nationwide, more than 150 health centers have been completely renovated using Recovery Fund resources, the prime minister noted.
Mitsotakis also announced that a new oncology unit will be established at the Bodosakeio Hospital in Ptolemaida, allowing local cancer patients to receive specialized treatment without traveling to Thessaloniki or further.
Turning to transport infrastructure, Mitsotakis cited the completion of the northern section of the E65 motorway, a highway project he personally championed to link Western Macedonia with Thessaly and Attica. He pledged to extend the motorway network further north to Xino Nero and Florina to complete the regional road grid.
He also cited the completion and delivery of the Thessaloniki Metro system as evidence of government reliability in fulfilling major commitments.
Energy transition and data center plans
Mitsotakis addressed the future role of the state-owned Public Power Corporation (DEI), asserting that the utility is not abandoning Western Macedonia.
At midday, he visited DEI's new high-efficiency combined heat and power (CHP) unit, which provides a long-term solution for district heating in Ptolemaida, Amyntaio, and Kozani. He stated that interim funding has been secured to cover heating costs until the facility is fully operational.
As coal power is phased out, DEI is shifting toward renewable energy projects in the region. In the Kardia area, two large lakes will be created for a pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme, moving water between reservoirs to drive a turbine and function as a large battery.
At the site of the former Agios Dimitrios power station, DEI will construct a modern data center to host artificial intelligence infrastructure. Mitsotakis said DEI has committed to these funded projects, presented them to shareholders, and begun implementation.
The operational phase of these DEI projects will create more than 2,000 jobs, according to the prime minister. Concluding his speech to supporters in Kozani, Mitsotakis stated he would return to the region several times before the spring 2027 elections and wished local students well for the upcoming school year.
