Upon his arrival in Brussels today for the European Council meeting, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed satisfaction with the fact that the conclusions of the meeting included Greek initiatives related to the establishment of a common European defense, BTA reports.
He stressed that this applies both to the overall defense of European territory and to specific projects such as the creation of a European missile shield.
Mitsotakis also emphasized the topic of competitiveness, stating that “European competitiveness cannot exist without affordable energy“. According to him, all member states should benefit from low energy prices in order to ensure equal conditions for economic development.
In his statement, the Prime Minister also touched on the housing crisis, recalling the measures taken by the Greek government, including the initiative to return one month's rent to all tenants at the end of November. He added that such problems are not limited to individual countries and require a pan-European approach. "We must find a way through the next European budget to relieve citizens who live in rented accommodation," he said.
In his full statement, Mitsotakis highlighted three key topics on the European Council's agenda:
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Common European Defence - According to him, significant progress has been made on joint defence projects. He expressed satisfaction that the vision of a “360-degree“ European defense, which Greece has consistently supported, is already part of the conclusions of the meeting.
Mitsotakis noted that Greek proposals, such as the idea of a common European missile shield, are gaining momentum and are already included in the European Commission's roadmap. -
Europe's competitiveness – The Prime Minister stressed the importance of reducing energy prices, pointing out that the existing differences between member states harm the economic balance in the EU. He welcomed the European Commission's commitment to finding solutions for a general reduction in energy costs.
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Housing policy – Mitsotakis pointed out that high housing prices are a pan-European problem and proposed using funds from the European budget to support citizens, especially those who rent.
“Young Europeans should not feel as if owning their own home is an unattainable dream,” he concluded.