Maximos Mansion made its displeasure clear yesterday, through government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, over the stance taken by top ministers Vasilis Kikilias and Adonis Georgiadis regarding the wage issue of the uniformed personnel. The government spokesman made it explicit that fiscal policy is not to be shaped on TV talk shows or social media.

With the message now delivered, Kyriakos Mitsotakis is looking to turn the page today by visiting the Ministry of Labour (10:00), as this marks the first day the new minimum wage of €880 comes into effect, along with a €30 monthly raise for public sector workers.

Mr. Mitsotakis wants to focus on the “good news” coming from the economic front, investing in the narrative of income support ahead of his announcements at the Thessaloniki International Fair concerning tax cuts targeting the middle class. Moreover, the government highlights the positive trajectory of unemployment, which has now stabilized in single digits, while attention turns to what lies ahead for pensioners. Labour Minister Niki Kerameus recently left open the possibility of a 13th pension, if fiscally feasible.

Another scenario under consideration is the abolition of the “personal difference” in pensions. However, as Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis said yesterday (on SKAI), any steps will be taken based on fiscal performance and with a clear plan – “with pen and paper.”

Continued unrest

The issue of the uniformed personnel continued to stir the waters within the ruling party yesterday. Confirming protothema.gr’s reporting, ND MP for Evros and former Chief of Police Tasos Dimoschakis submitted a written question to the Ministries of Finance, Defence, Citizens’ Protection, Climate Crisis and Shipping, highlighting the need to expand salary increases to include members of the security forces.

Mr. Dimoschakis’s question represents the views of dozens of MPs, with nearly 20 having publicly supported raises for police officers, firefighters, and coast guards. The government, through Mr. Marinakis and Mr. Pierrakakis, rushed yesterday to pre-announce raises for all uniformed personnel, though only after the Thessaloniki Fair and based on available fiscal space. In fact, the Finance Minister said they would push fiscal limits to the maximum.

“In legal terms, these increases are necessary due to the unified nature of the payroll system – but now they’ve also become a political necessity,” a senior government source told protothema.gr.

The government’s irritation also stems from another aspect of the ministerial interventions. “Younger generations have paid a heavy price for the logic of outbidding and maximalist demands that the state ultimately couldn’t support – and the bill landed squarely on their shoulders,” said Mr. Marinakis yesterday, stressing that the government won’t allow a return to that kind of policy bidding war. Notably, other ministers have expressed frustration, pointing out that their ministries also have needs, but they don’t go airing them out on TV panels.

Defusing the situation and the fine print

Amidst this rather unpleasant atmosphere inside the government, efforts are now underway to de-escalate. Following the debate over the uniformed personnel, Maximos Mansion wants to preempt any excessive reactions by MPs during Friday’s ND Parliamentary Group meeting, which is scheduled to elect a new parliamentary secretary.

To that end, meetings with MPs at Maximos Mansion are expected in the coming days. Based on current information, some individual MPs who had considered requesting a ballot vote for Vessyropoulos’s candidacy – to measure any blank votes – have since dropped the idea.

Still, ND MPs took note of the wording in Friday’s meeting invitation, which states that the “exclusive and sole item” is the election of a new parliamentary secretary. Prime Ministerial aides insist this phrasing is “standard,” but some MPs suspect the fine print conceals the possibility that they might not be allowed to speak, even if they wish to. Mr. Mitsotakis is expected to deliver a speech. “If any MP wants to speak, I doubt anyone will stop them,” a close aide to the PM replied. That, however, remains to be seen in practice.

The “11” persist

It seems that the “group of 11” who recently signed the question on Turkish real estate acquisitions in border areas is becoming a more permanent fixture. According to a source familiar with the discussions, the number “11” will remain constant for future interventions, as the trend of parliamentary questions by groups of 11 ND MPs began months ago with a query on non-performing loans. While the names may change, the number of MPs appears set to remain stable. And a “core” group of MPs remains constant.