In first foray beyond Athens in 2024, PM voices optimism about the future

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis asserted that his conservative government is dedicated to improving the living standards of the people and expressed optimism for the new year during his visit to the town of Meliki in central Macedonia on Friday. Marking his first visit outside Athens for 2024, Mitsotakis is scheduled to inaugurate the recently restored Palace of Aigai later in the day.

“As 2024 dawns, I believe that, after several challenging years, for the first time, we can look to the future with more optimism,” Mitsotakis told a local crowd.

“[Forging] a Greece that is developing, leveraging its comparative advantages. With a rural community that, despite the acknowledged challenges, is well aware of enjoying the support of this government in both good times and bad,” he said.

Mitsotakis, who recently reshuffled his cabinet, pledged that the administration will persist “day and night” in confronting numerous challenges.

“Because problems never cease, we never hid them under the rug, but we proved that with hard work, a methodical approach, and efficiency, all problems can ultimately be resolved,” he said.

‘Timeless Greek heritage’

During the same address to the crowd, Mitsotakis underscored the multifaceted significance of restoring the Palace of Aigai.

“It is a gesture that holds not only cultural but also national significance, as it reaffirms the timeless Greek heritage of Macedonia throughout the centuries and transforms your region into a cultural hub, I dare say, of global significance,” he said.

“For me, it is a great honor that as the prime minister of our country, I will have the opportunity to connect my name and the name of our government with these iconic restoration projects taking place in the archaeological site of Vergina,” he said.

“Aigai” comes from the same root as the ancient Greek word aiga (goat). With an area of approximately 15,000 square meters, the Palace of Aigai was the largest building in classical Greece.

The project to maintain and restore the structure lasted 16 years and was completed in 2023 with a total budget of 20.3 million euros.

The city of Aigai (Vergina) was the first capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia, and was upgraded with an extensive building program by Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great.