Greek PM Mitsotakis urges diaspora support and stronger EU defence budget

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said strengthening ties with Greeks living abroad is a national priority during a speech at the "ATHINA26" conference hosted by The Hellenic Initiative at the Acropolis Museum. He highlighted recent reforms that enabled mail‑in voting for the diaspora, urged participation in the scheduled elections for spring 2027, and praised Greece’s economic performance, noting growth above the euro‑area average and the fastest debt‑to‑GDP reduction among OECD members.

Mitsotakis also pointed to labour market improvements, with unemployment falling from 18% to 8% and the brain‑drain reversing as many Greeks return for job opportunities. In a separate meeting with Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Monteiro at the Maximos Mansion, he called for a new multi‑year EU fiscal framework, warning that "Europe cannot do more with less" and urging a bolder defence budget.

He stressed the strategic importance of free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting any transit fees, and affirmed Greece’s support for the EU operation "ASPIDES" in the Red Sea, leaving open the possibility of Greek participation in a mission to protect the strait under defined international conditions.