PM: ‘We are with the West’ on Ukraine

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated his unconditional alignment with Western states in support of Ukraine at the opening of the ruling New Democracy party’s 14th Congress Friday.

“We are with Ukraine because we are with democracy and freedom. There is no place for ‘equidistancing.’ We are with the West. We consistently fulfil our obligations with our friends so that we can also count on their support when we’ll need it. Period,” Misotakis said.

“After the Russian invasion, we are all at war, on many levels. On the geostrategic level, the Russina invasion becomes a simulation model. At the diplomatic level, it realigns alliances; at the economic level, the consequences are very big,” Mitsotakis added.

Mitsotakis touted his government’s measures to counter rising energy prices as an action that preceded the “slow-moving” European Union.

“I have said the root of (economic) evil will not be tackled without a Europe-wide solution. I hope our proposals will be listened to. But we did not stand idle: the state is subsidizing electricity to households, businesses and farmers. But I can’t wait for the slow moving European cruise ship to change tack, that is why I announced a national support plan (Thursday),” Mitsotakis said.

“The middle class cannot pay the price of the global energy crisis…We correct this injustice. From July 1st, we neutralize the effects of the (price) adjustment clause.”

Mitsotakis also used the occasion to attack opposition leader and his predecessor as Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who has charged that Mitsotakis has not done enough to protect Greeks from rising energy prices.

“A liberal center-right government deploys one of the biggest social programs in the history of the country…We should know who stands by the citizens’ side and who is not, who is a liar and who is not. Mr. Tsipras denounces the energy exchange that he himself voted and he advertises Spain and Portugal (both led by center-left governments), when electricity prices there are higher than Greece’s,” Mitsotakis said.

Tsipras’ left-wing Syriza party respoinded that “Mr. Mitsotakis presented the face of a country where only he and his buddies live…the citizens are bankrupted daily under Mitsotakis’ (price adjustment) clause.”