Mitsotakis lays out economic, foreign policy priorities at TIF news conference

Greece will be the pleasant surprise of the Eurozone, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told a press conference today at at the 84th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF).

He said that Greece will achieve its target for high growth rates and said that he did not espouse pessimistic forecasts concerning the global economy.

Mitsotakis noted that the situation inherited by his government in the economy was is not rosy but that it will be possible to implement its policies due to an over-performance in revenues during the last two months.

He maintained this demonstrates a change for the better.

Mitsotakis said the government's economic policy respects fiscal discipline and is not focused only on tax cuts but also on a strong growth through a wave of foreign and domestic investments that will create jobs.

Election law

On election law, Mitsotakis said that he did not wish to link issues relating to election law with the changes to the Constitution, noting that these were are distinct issues. He underlined that direct proportional representation is «disastrous» and that he will table a law to ensure stable  governance.

«A party with 40 pct has a right to govern,» he declared.

Greece-Turkey-EU relations

The prime minister confirmed that he intends to have a first meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the United Nations assembly.

«If Mr. Erdogan would like to truly restart Greek-Turkish relations then he must prove this in practice,» Mitsotakis said, adding that his own intention was to engage in talks «because this is the only way to find mutually acceptable solutions. We come to the negotiation with the arguments provided to us by international law,...