PM to unveil four-year growth plan at Thessaloniki International Fair

In his first appearance at the Thessaloniki International Fair as prime minister on Saturday night, Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to outline the basic parameters of a four-year plan under the slogan “Growth for all” with a series of tax reductions anticipated to feature in his speech.

Arriving in the northern port on Friday, Mitsotakis met with officials of Germany’s Fraport, which is upgrading 14 of Greece’s regional airports, for an update on the progress of a revamp of Thessaloniki’s international airport.

The meeting was seen as symbolic as the premier is keen to underline his government’s interest in drawing foreign investments to boost growth and create much-needed jobs.

Ahead of his speech before Greek politicians and industrialists at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Mitsotakis will tour the trade fair and is reportedly planning to visit the European Commission’s kiosk and be received by spokesman Margaritis Schinas.

He is expected to use the opportunity to underline how European Union regulations can serve to protect products originating in Greece’s northern region of Macedonia.

Producers in the region have expressed concern about the potential repercussions of the recent name change of Greece’s northern neighbor to North Macedonia on their goods.

Mitsotakis’ announcements tonight are expected to include references to projects in northern Greece, though it was unclear on Friday what these will be. 

Although the premier is expected to herald some new tax cuts, his speech is to focus in particular on his government’s broader vision for growth over the next four years while also taking stock of what his administration has achieved in its first two months, such as reducing the ENFIA property tax and fully abolishing the capital controls.

As for the tax reductions, they are expected to relate to both businesses and individuals. He plans to lighten the burden for self-employed professionals, Kathimerini understands, and to trim back the solidarity levy on income that was introduced at the peak of Greece’s crisis.

The premier is also expected to present key features of a bill, expected to be put to public consultation next week, that aims to boost growth by removing obstacles to investment.