The message that the government remains open to dialogue but says “no—in every way and in every tone—to unnecessary hardship for society and to the impact that a possible prolonged blockade would have on the functioning of the economy” was sent to farmers by Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his statements after the conclusion of the European Council, which ended with an agreement on a €90 billion loan to Ukraine.

“Some farmers feel the need to disagree with the proposals put forward by the government. The government remains open to dialogue. We say ‘yes’ to dialogue, but we also say ‘no’—in every way and in every tone—to unnecessary hardship for society and to the consequences that a possible prolonged blockade would have on the functioning of the economy,” Mr. Mitsotakis initially said.

“Christmas is approaching. I think everyone understands that people want to travel, some want to return to their villages, winter destinations want to operate. And I believe this is something everyone will take very seriously into account,” he added.

At the same time, he pointed out that “the government has carefully addressed the problems of farmers. It believes it has dealt with many of the justified demands. But obviously, we are not going to give in to any, I would say, maximalism that would take us outside the European framework, which is very clearly defined, and ultimately lead us to solutions that cannot be accepted either by the government or by Europe.”

He also reiterated that “the cleanup and integration of OPEKEPE into AADE, for which there will be a roll-call vote tomorrow—actually today, since it is 4 a.m. Greek time—constitutes a test and a challenge for all parties if they truly mean what they say about wanting a system of incorruptible subsidies, where subsidies go to those who genuinely deserve them. They must support this reform and not ostrich-like bury their heads in the sand.”

“This reform has already led to savings of resources—resources that, as we have said, will be redistributed to our livestock farmers who are in real need, to producers, to cotton growers. In this way, we ultimately demonstrate in practice what we say: that not only are European funds not being lost, but the money that will remain from cleaning up the system will ultimately benefit those who truly need it,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis concluded on the agricultural issue.

On the visit to Jerusalem and Ramallah

Asked about Greece’s role as a “bridge” in the Eastern Mediterranean and the possibility of a more active role in shaping the European stance on the Middle East ahead of his visit on Monday to Jerusalem and Ramallah, Mr. Mitsotakis noted:

“First of all, I consider it important that on Monday, within the framework of the trilateral meeting of Greece–Cyprus–Israel, I will also visit Ramallah and, of course, Jerusalem. Greece is a country that traditionally maintains a strategic relationship with Israel, as well as excellent relations with the Palestinian Authority, so we will have the opportunity to discuss how we move from the phase of the first much-desired ceasefire to the next stages of the plan, as it has at least been agreed by all parties involved, and to explore the role Greece can play in this direction. In any case, I want to reiterate that the trilateral Greece–Cyprus–Israel format brings together countries that constitute, I would say, factors and pillars of stability in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region, and I believe that the discussions that will take place at this juncture—taking into account what has unfolded in Gaza in recent years—will be extremely important.”