Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis announced economic measures exceeding €1 billion focused on the middle class, families, and self-employed workers during a press briefing to government correspondents.
Speaking ahead of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's annual policy address at the Thessaloniki International Fair, Marinakis also raised the possibility of reforming the presumptive tax system for freelancers. He stated that as other anti-evasion measures take effect, the tax presumption becomes redundant, emphasizing that consistency remains the government's key guideline and noting that the prime minister is not dogmatic.
Marinakis framed the administration's policy as a transition from an era of big words to a period defined by accountability, honesty, and concrete deliverables. He highlighted major public infrastructure projects as primary examples of this approach, pointing to the Thessaloniki Metro, its planned expansions toward Kalamaria and the western suburbs, and the elevated Flyover highway project designed to ease congestion in Greece's second-largest city.
Tax reform and economic measures
Addressing criticism from opposition parties regarding freelancer taxation, Marinakis accused political opponents of presenting a selective, a la carte view of government policy. He pointed out that under the current New Democracy administration, the income tax rate for self-employed workers was reduced from 29 percent to a maximum of 20 percent, while advance tax payments were cut from 100 percent to 50 percent.
He added that the state had abolished the annual trade levy for freelancers and implemented reductions across other tax rates, including the ENFIA uniform real estate property tax. According to Marinakis, government initiatives to combat tax evasion have successfully generated an additional €2 billion in state revenue from previously undeclared income.
Responding to claims that the upcoming economic relief measures are insufficient, Marinakis noted that Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis had previously confirmed the package would top €1 billion. He stated that final decisions were still pending and urged patience, explaining that the cost depends on fiscal headroom and noting that the prime minister will outline Greece's fiscal strategy extending beyond 2027 during his upcoming speech at the trade fair.
Marinakis criticized opposition parties for remaining trapped in 1980s economic thinking. He argued that critics who dismiss government support packages as crumbs simultaneously complain of overtaxation whenever tax collection increases, ignoring the fact that robust state revenue is necessary to fund public welfare benefits.
Domestic violence and penal code dispute
Turning to public safety, Marinakis presented statistics on domestic abuse, reporting that the Hellenic Police handled nearly 29,000 domestic violence cases in 2025 and almost 13,000 incidents during the current year. He emphasized that victims now have access to 20 dedicated shelters across the country alongside the Panic Button emergency alert mobile application, which has been expanded nationwide.
Marinakis stressed that neither the active emergency shelters nor the current protection software and legal framework existed prior to 2019. He framed these developments as essential institutional safeguards introduced by the government to protect vulnerable women and families.
The spokesman launched a sharp attack against former prime minister Alexis Tsipras, declaring that political audacity must have limits. Addressing members of Tsipras's opposition Syriza party, particularly female lawmakers, Marinakis recalled that penal code reforms enacted under the previous administration reduced the penalty for homicide from mandatory life imprisonment to life or up to 15 years, while lowering the maximum sentence for gang rape from 20 years to 15 years.
Marinakis questioned whether opposition members agreed with the reduced criminal penalties introduced by their party leader. He asserted that anyone supporting those past legal changes possessed no standing to criticize the current government on domestic violence and victim protection.
