Kostis Hatzidakis, the Minister of Economy and Finance, and Nikos Papathanasis, the Deputy Minister, announced today at the press conference that the Public Investment Programme's budget will increase by €900 million for 2024.

With this increase, the total budget of the MFF is set at 13.1 billion euros, up from 12.2 billion euros, and the additional funds, as Hatzidakis noted, come from two sources: Firstly, the growth of the economy, which allows for an increase in government revenues without increasing taxes. And secondly, the fight against tax evasion, with 11 different initiatives underway that yield specific revenues that are allocated either to boost the income of vulnerable citizens, with the actions announced last week, or to strengthen the PDE. "The country, Hatzidakis stressed, must constantly send a strong growth message. We do not want any pending public investment, and we attach particular importance to promoting the country's development process."

Deputy Minister Nikos Papathanasis underlined: "The growth in the country, which is reflected in all official European and international indicators and brings Greece to the second place in the EU, did not happen; it succeeded. The 500 thousand new jobs created since 2019, the investments of companies that are world champions, but also the fiscal space, which in turn leads to further support for society and the daily life of citizens, are the product of the systematic and effective work of the governments of Kyriakos Mitsotakis. We continue in the same direction, so that not a single euro is lost, with the Public Investment Programme as a key tool, which, despite the fact that it already amounts to €12.2 billion—a record budget for the last 14 years—we are increasing it further, by €900 million for 2024, with an annual increase of 10%-17% for the two years 2024-2026."