Mitsotakis rules out early elections

 Mitsotakis rules out early elections as government gets tourism breather

[InTime News]

Constantine CapsaskisNewsletter Editor

Welcome to this week’s Kathimerini English Edition newsletter. My name is Constantine, and I am here to guide you through the week’s important stories. Our focus this week will remain firmly on the latest in Greek politics, while also looking at the successes of the country’s tourism sector.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ruled out early elections this week, despite mounting political tensions, stating that he is prepared to assume the political cost to preserve the country’s stability and institutional legitimacy.

This statement by Mitsotakis followed a tense parliamentary debate on Wednesday when Mitsotakis addressed the House and noted his concern over what he called a “climate of intense toxicity,” while once again criticizing main opposition SYRIZA over the July 5 referendum in 2015. He had also referred to the referendum in a speech given to the European Parliament on Tuesday.

With the possibilities of elections growing slimmer, Kathimerini’s Stavros Papantoniou wrote that this could point to a cabinet reshuffle by Mitsotakis towards the end of the summer.

SYRIZA and its leader Alexis Tsipras seem unconvinced by the PM’s statement. According to Antonis Antzoletos, the party’s planning remains unchanged with a busy summer schedule ahead in order to finalize preparations for potential elections in the Fall.   

Finally, PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis found an opportunity to spar with Mitsotakis during the latter’s address in Strasbourg. Androulakis, a member of the EP, seized the chance to turn the parliamentary session into a “Greek affair”, criticizing the government on its track record. Androulakis has also made efforts to heal divides caused by his party’s recent leadership elections.

However, strengthening the government’s hand is the excellent performance of Greece’s tourism industry despite the difficult economic conditions due to inflation and soaring energy prices.

Tourism receipts are expected to surpass the 18,2 billion euros achieved in 2019 and climb to about 20 billion, providing a 2,5 billion euro boost to projected government revenues and allowing some fiscal breathing room. Indicatively, arrivals from the US are up 50% from 2019. 

Facilitating this increase, Greek airports have been free of the difficulties seen across the continent, with Greece being the first country to return to pre-2019 levels in terms of air traffic.

This boom is also benefitting Aegean Airlines, the largest Greek airline, as it is projected to have its first profitable financial year since the start of the pandemic according to Kathimerini’s Dimitris Delevegos.