Hello there, preparations are feverishly underway at the Maximos Mansion for the Thessaloniki weekend, with K.M. leading the way, who has been working on his speech since last weekend, alone, at home, in peace and quiet. His speeches are always overseen by the veteran journalist Giannis Vlastaris; of course, Skertsos also reviews them for technical perfection, the figures, and the record of actions, but the prime minister himself always spends quite a few hours refining them, especially when it comes to serious occasions.

Tax reform

• At the TIF, Mitsotakis will talk about reforms and not about some “gift package” of measures, my source tells me—and that’s exactly what Pierre recommended yesterday at the Maximos Mansion, together with Petralias, as they put the final “doses” into the package, or reform bundle, or call it what you like. In any case, it will exceed €1.7 billion, give or take, but as they explained to me, with next year’s GDP growth this figure will reach €2.5 billion. There’s certainly a positive surprise for a lot of people—close to two million citizens—but it’s under wraps: “the prime minister will announce it, leave it at that,” I was told. Indeed.

Not just tax-related

• The TIF speech won’t only include tax matters but other reforms as well, with the main motto being demographics, along with other serious issues such as water—that is, the need to utilize all water supply companies and, in some way, consolidate them under DEI. Because water scarcity is a huge problem that we’ll be facing head-on in the next 3–4 years, not later. He’ll also address zoning, urban planning, education, and health.

OPEKEPE report today

• Today at noon, Chrysochoidis will announce the fines regarding OPEKEPE, as I wrote to you yesterday. In total, about 500 tax IDs are involved, mostly individuals, who illegally received €20 million—about €30,000–40,000 on average. The money will be reclaimed, prosecutions will be launched, and accounts frozen.

School buildings

• Last year, the prime minister’s “TIF package” included, among other things, the reconstruction of school buildings, and it turned out to be the most popular measure announced in Thessaloniki, according to public opinion polls. This year, on top of the €250 million budgeted and €100 million from the banks, another €300 million from (the same) banks has been added, and the refurbishing of school buildings will continue—most of which haven’t been maintained in decades.

Government Council for Economic Policy on exports

• Meanwhile, tomorrow afternoon at the Maximos Mansion, Mitsotakis will meet with Vice President Hatzidakis and the ministers who make up the Government Council for Economic Policy. The subject of the meeting has nothing to do with the TIF—after all, the package is basically finalized and the presentation slides are already being prepared. The main topic will be exports and the country’s strategy for the coming period.

The secretary and the MPs’ meeting

• By midweek, K.M. is expected to have made his decision regarding the secretary of the Parliamentary Group, following the late Vessiropoulos. The names in play, as I’ve written, are Zoe Rapti, Giorgos Stylios, some mention Makarios Lazaridis, while there is also a recommendation for Maximos Charakopoulos. Whatever is decided, next week—possibly Wednesday—the ND Parliamentary Group will meet to vote. Logically Mitsotakis will also speak, and it remains to be seen if MPs will take the floor, should a speakers’ list be opened.

Themistokleous’ candidacy

• A new entry on ND’s candidate lists for 2027 will be Deputy Health Minister Marios Themistokleous, who has been weighing this up for some time. Although Themistokleous is not organically from ND, he has been part of the government for quite a while. He will run in East Attica, which explains why he’s been making summer rounds in churches and village fairs—what else could the man do?

The former minister, the Cretan mafia, and… the curses on the Mitsotakis family

• I have a little follow-up on the former politician-minister (and something… more) whose name surfaces in the wiretaps with the Cretan mobsters. Well, I’m told the arrests will reach 100 by the end. In the conversations recorded by the Hellenic Police system, the yacht-owning minister can be heard hurling the vilest insults at the Mitsotakis family, among others, my source says. His involvement, however, seems related to the election of a bishop or something of that sort, not that he was actually part of the mafia ring or their dealings.

Attica Group

• Before the close of the tourist season, the ferry companies are already making moves in view of next year. From what I hear, Attica Group is said to have sold Blue Star Naxos to a Canadian-owned company, as part of a fleet restructuring and new business plan for the upcoming sailing season. The company, which is listed on the stock exchange, denies the report. However, in Piraeus and in the ferry industry circles, the word is that the sale—if not already completed—is well underway, with the price reportedly reaching €36 million.