“I will never forget what happened in Tempe and why it happened,” the prime minister says Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a Facebook post, emphasizing that “I and we, as a government, took responsibility for the tragic accident. It doesn’t change the past, but it can change the future. Because I feel that now my personal bet is to find a solution so that this never happens again.”

The Prime Minister characterizes the reaction of the people as absolutely reasonable and notes that “I hear and fully share the unanimous social demand: finally sweep away everything that holds Greece back, change quickly so that we have the country we deserve.” . I have to turn these feelings into creative actions. And that’s what I intend to do.”

He points out that, first of all, “it is our duty to support the relatives of those killed and injured in the tragic train accident at Tempe to Golgotha, who are going up. We have already announced a number of financial and other measures, and their psychological support continues.”

“Today I return to our Sunday meeting, but I want to start by putting my hand on my heart and saying that I will never forget what happened at Tempe and why it happened.

I took over and we, as a government, took responsibility for the tragic accident. It doesn’t change the past, but it can change the future. Because I feel that now my personal bet is to find a solution so that this never happens again.

I see in these days an absolutely reasonable reaction of the world to such an unjust death of 57 people. I hear and fully share the unanimous social request: finally sweep away everything that holds Greece back, change faster so that we have the country we deserve.

I have to turn these feelings into creative actions. And that’s what I intend to do.

Above all, however, we have an obligation to support the ascendant relatives of the victims and victims of the tragic Tempe Calvary train accident. We have already announced a number of financial and other measures, and their psychological support continues.

I attach great importance to the psychological support of those who found themselves on the fateful train and their families. The General Secretary of Solidarity, Giorgos Stamatis, has committed to contacting all the families of the victims to inform them of the helpline that we have set up as the only point of contact with the state (tel.: 210 5281131 – 210 5281251) so that they do not suffer from unnecessary bureaucratic procedures for what they are entitled to as a minimum benefit. At the same time, disaster and loss management and mental health professionals are available 24 hours a day on 10306 to assist them as they wish, either at home, via video link, or by telephone. And they will do it for as long as it takes. To date, two reports have been made with 45 families of the dead, with the wounded and with 222 on board. Communication will continue with everyone.

In parallel with the management of this massive undertaking, it was necessary to continue the work of the government. The first issue that had to be closed was the adjustment of the minimum wage. So this week we moved on to its third consecutive rise of 9.4%. From April 1, the minimum wage will reach 780 euros from 650 euros, which, let me remind you, were in 2019. That is, since then, almost three additional earnings have been added to the incomes of approximately 600 thousand workers annually. This increase will affect unemployment benefits, as well as all benefits related to the minimum wage.

I know that this increase alone is not enough to solve the problem, since wages are still low in our country, and incomes are now squeezed by imported inflation. Especially young men and women find it difficult to make ends meet. We have reached the limits of the economy so that businesses can withstand the increase in the minimum wage. Greece is taking steps forward and is gradually approaching the average European income (now in 10th place among 22 European countries). This minimum wage is now higher than the pre-crisis level and indicates that our country is changing with confident steps and breaks out of the category of economies with cheap labor that do not provide prospects for our youth. Together with the digital worker card and an independent labor inspection body, we protect workers and reduce undeclared work.

Also this week, the advance was paid to 37,500 beneficiaries who completed 15 years of additional insurance, but who did not receive additional pension until December 31, 2022. This is an advance payment of 100 euros for each month of delay in supplementary old-age pension. and €50 for additional disability and widowhood pensions. However, it is worth noting that in the two months from January to February, 43,000 additional pensions were issued – almost half of those expected, and we will continue at this pace until all pending additional pensions are liquidated.

I continue the topic of pensioners, because the day before yesterday we submitted to Parliament a bill regulating the issue that arose for about 1,100,000 pensioners, who, due to personal differences, either did not see an increase at all, or saw a slight increase. So until March 31, they will receive a one-time financial assistance in the amount of 200 to 300 euros.

With the same bill, we give a new opportunity to those who lost tax and insurance contracts in the amount of 120 or 72 installments or became unusable by February 1, 2023, to restore them by paying two monthly installments until July 31, 2023.

Very important news this week is that the “Personal Assistant” program has been launched for our fellow citizens with disabilities, first in Attica and then beyond the pool. 520 people have expressed a desire to become a personal assistant, of which 241 have received free special training to be able to stand next to citizens with severe disabilities, to whom the state pays up to 1663 euros per month as a salary for their work, in addition to benefits and other benefits that they are already getting. A personal assistant is a request that is decades old. It will change the lives of our fellow citizens with disabilities and their families. It starts in pilot form, with 1,000 people in Athens in the first phase, with a second phase of its expansion to 1,000 people in other regions, and a third phase, in 2024, with its expansion throughout the territory.

At the same time, for the first time in Greece, the introduction of the institution of semi-autonomous living begins. The goal of the program is a faster deinstitutionalization of adolescents who have been held in institutions for years and their smooth transition into society and the labor market.

For clarity: today, about 400 children over 15 years old live in boarding schools, either because they themselves – due to their age – do not want to join a family, or because future adoptive parents or adoptive parents do not choose them.

Until now, these children could only be placed in institutions until they reached the age of majority. Now semi-independent living gives them the opportunity to live in apartments for up to 26 people. These are apartments accommodating up to 4 people, fully equipped, but also staffed by appropriate staff – social workers, social workers, social workers. Thus, adolescents have not only a safe place to live, but also care and support for their autonomy. They also receive a monthly financial assistance of 375 euros and also have access to education, healthcare, psychosocial support and vocational counseling.

This week we also passed an important law aimed at improving the transplant system in our country and with the potential to save lives.

Although transplantation is considered the most modern therapeutic procedure of the 21st century worldwide, as it is the only treatment option for end-stage heart, liver and lung failure and the most effective treatment for kidney failure, unfortunately, Greece ranks last in Europe in terms of donor organs, tissues and cells and is among the last ten countries in the Western world.

This is another aspect of our country that we are not satisfied with and we want to change. That is why we turned to a committee of world-renowned Greek and foreign scientists, supported by the Alexander S. Onassis Foundation and led by Professor of Health Policy Ilias Mosialou and Professor of Transplant Surgery at Imperial College London and President of the European Society for Organ Transplantation Vassilis Papaloi, who proposed the necessary changes to finally get a modern national transplant policy.

This week, the Water Heater Recycling Program Guide was published. It covers at least 120,000 households, and the subsidy reaches 60% of expenses. The total budget is 100 million euros coming from the NSRF. The goal of the program is to replace old energy-intensive electric water heaters with solar ones. It is estimated that this will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by at least 210 million tons per year, and at the same time provide citizens with money by reducing electricity consumption.

I will end this post here and I want to thank you for taking the time to read it. And let me assure you that we are working to do our best to support the families of the victims in Tempi, as well as correct the pathologies that came from the past and which we all agree will have no place in the Greece of tomorrow.”