Mr. Mitsotakis: We will stand by every citizen

“We have a difficult winter ahead of us. We will stand by every Greek woman and every Greek man who is being tested. We will respect the fiscal limits which impose restraint on us and not a return to the excesses of the past and we will prove once again that this faction he is not for the easy, he is for the difficult and he can always overcome and move the country forward”, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized to the citizens of Serres and New Democracy officials who had gathered to welcome him in a cafe, in the center city’s.

“This crisis was not the result of our own choices, but we have to manage it and just as we managed the coronavirus crisis and came out stronger from it, we will also face the energy crisis. A little patience until the International Exhibition of Thessaloniki, which will be given to me the opportunity to present the support framework for the Greek economy and Greek society for the difficult winter that is coming”, added the Prime Minister.

Kostas Karamanlis: All the New Democrats are united with you

The Prime Minister was welcomed by the Minister of Transport, Kostas Karamanlis, who in his greeting emphasized: “Mr. President, welcome to the city of Serres, welcome to the birthplace of Konstantinos Karamanlis and I want you to know that all the New Democrats are a fist with you so that we can let’s overcome the big problems of the country, but also all Greeks, with the same spirit, above all, and with unity.

Today we had the pleasure with the President and dear colleagues to visit three important projects that have been done in our country. Along with all the other projects that are being done in Serres and in Northern Greece, Greece and Northern Greece is leaving the past behind and for that we have to say a big thank you. Because the President has always been beside all of us to make this project a reality. Once again Mr. President, thank you for your visit, thank you all colleagues, all MPs, the Mayor, who is a valuable partner, and we wish you good courage for the rest of the many years ahead of you”.

In the 2023 elections, the people will judge and compare

“With projects big and small we respond to the whining and undermining of our political opponents and your presence here today is the best proof that New Democracy is strong, enjoys the trust of the Greek people and will go to the elections that will be held in 2023 with confidence So that the Greek people can judge and compare our own work in the midst of multiple crises, with the “work” of some others, who again want to claim – what I wonder if – the possibility of turning us back. Greece does not turn back, it only looks forward and this is the message I want to send today, here from Serres. We are going through difficult times, in the midst of an unprecedented geopolitical and energy crisis. I don’t think there has been a government that has dealt with more difficulties in such a short period of time, as the government of New Democracy in these three years”, said Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

We stood up, the country stood up, the country progressed. Greece today is much stronger than it was three years ago. It is more powerful geopolitically, it is more powerful economically, its opinion counts inside and outside Greece,” added the Prime Minister.

A story from the 70s with Konstantinos Karamanlis

“As I was coming on foot from the street that bears the name of the National Leader and founder of our faction, Konstantinos Karamanlis, I was greeted by the Mayor who was kind enough to give me a photo from the mid-70s, where a a little boy in a nice costume greets Konstantinos Karamanlis I was 8 years old and this photo will find its place in my office to honor in this way a great, great politician who left an indelible mark on the history of the country of us, whose great national choices, most importantly the country’s integration into the European family, today are justified more than ever,” said the Prime Minister.

Support in the primary sector and extroversion

As part of his tour of Serres, Kyriakos Mitsotakis earlier visited another family business, the “Koryfi” Dairy Products Industry, whose history began in 1930.

“I am particularly pleased to visit a dynamic enterprise of the primary sector. To congratulate you on the fine work you are doing and to point out that our government has always stood by the primary sector, supporting it with a number of measures”, stressed the Prime Minister and added: “Perhaps most important was ensuring the quality of the iconic national product that is feta, not only protecting it against claims from other countries, but also ensuring that real feta finally gets the price it deserves. And for to do this, the scourge of illegal Greekization had to be fought, so that our farmers, tens of thousands of farmers who supply a unit like the one we are visiting today with 15 tons of milk a day, know that they too can get a decent price which will allow them to continue the work they are doing”.

The Prime Minister was given a tour of the company’s facilities and in particular the production unit by Zafeiris Kanakaris, the owner.

Referring to the important role of exports, Kyriakos Mitsotakis pointed out that “the future lies in quality and extroversion. The company I am visiting today is an export company. In this way, with quality products that hold the flag of Greece high, conquer foreign markets. And I think we’ve proven over time that this is a mission that our government can serve.”

It is noted that the company “KORYFI” is active in the wholesale sector and 60% of its activity concerns exclusively exports.

New school infrastructures

In the next stop, the Prime Minister visited Neo Souli Serron where he was welcomed by the Mayor Dimitris Notas and had the opportunity to talk with residents of the area. The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Kostas Karamanlis.

They then walked with the Mayor to the new building of the Neos Souli Primary School in order to meet the Principal Konstantinos Staikopoulos, the teachers and the administrative staff of the school. This was followed by a short tour of the Prime Minister in the new facilities.

The upgrade of the school unit, attended by 119 students, was decided in 2019 as the old facilities were built in the 1930s and had ceased to meet educational needs. The overall upgrade took place over a period of two years and the new, modern facilities will welcome students for the new school year.

As part of the upgrading of the educational infrastructure of the area, the construction of the new Nursery School of Neos Soulis has been tendered. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

Upgrade and “reunion” for the Psychiatric Clinic of G/N Serres

Then the Prime Minister visited the new wing of the Psychiatric Clinic of Serres General Hospital under construction. The project will enable the relocation of the Clinic, which is still housed in the structures of the old hospital, to the new hospital complex on the outskirts of the city.

In this way, the patients’ living conditions will be substantially improved and their follow-up by doctors of other specialties will be particularly facilitated, as well as their submission to laboratory tests, which currently requires their transportation to the new hospital by ambulance. The new wing will have a capacity of 18 beds and will be connected to the main building via an inter-departmental corridor.

The Prime Minister was informed about the progress of the works by the Minister of Infrastructure and Member of Parliament of Serres of the New Democracy Kostas Karamanlis, he spoke with workers. He was informed by the Governor of the Hospital, Nikolas Farmakis, and the Governor of the 4th Ministry of Health, Dimitris Tsalikakis, about the operation of the institution and about the ongoing energy upgrading projects of its infrastructure, which are estimated to reduce its operating expenses by 45%, i.e. by 500,000 euros per year.

The reunification of the Psychiatric Clinic with the other units of the Serres Hospital has been a constant request of the local community and the respective administrations of the Hospital for almost 20 years. The project, with a budget of 1.8 million euros, was included in the Public Investment Program 2021.

“Thank you to all the men and women of the Fire Department”

The Prime Minister’s next stop was the Serres Fire Service, where he attended the signing of the contract for the construction of a new fire station, as the structure where the fire brigade is currently housed dates back to 1960.

“I am glad that you will get a new fire station, which will fully meet the needs of you and your staff and we will also be vigilant so that the project is delivered on schedule and in two years you can leave here and go in new facilities”, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during the event.

The new station will be well-equipped, with a firefighter training area, six-vehicle garage and vehicle maintenance area, while the location chosen for its construction offers easy access to the commuter road.

The Prime Minister had the opportunity to talk to firefighters serving in Serres and expressed to them the state’s gratitude for the self-sacrificing work performed by all members of the Fire Brigade.

“Again to you, congratulations, we thank all the women and men of the Fire Department, wherever they are, throughout the territory, for the great work they are doing again this summer,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

The Prime Minister also visited the Metropolitan of Serres and Nigritis, Mr. Theologos, at the offices of the Metropolis.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport and Member of Parliament of Serres of the New Democracy Kostas Karamanlis, the Members of Parliament of Serres of the ND Fotini Arambatzi, Tasos Hatzivasileiou and Theofilos Leontaridis, the Mayor of Serres Alexandros Chrysafis and the Secretary of the Political Committee of the ND, Pavlos Marinakis.

Strategy of “blue” mobilization and “return” to the party by K. Mitsotakis