Fiscal responsibility is the best defense Greece has at uncertain times, said Deputy Premier Kostis Hatzidakis in an interview to online outlet mononews.gr, commenting on the Israel-Iran conflict and its economic repercussions.

During the interview (which took place before the US involvement in the war), Hatzidakis was asked whether he thought the war would affect government announcements at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) in September. "I have reiterated that fiscal seriousness is the best 'shield' of our homeland at times of uncertainty. And thankfully today Greece's

public finances are in order and the budget's execution continues smoothly," he stressed. 
Speaking of OPEKEPE, the Greek agency that mishandled EU agricultural funds and is now defunct, Hatzidakis declined to comment in detail before the entire case file is reviewed. Ruling New Democracy's tough measures included having the agency  absorbed by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). The case, he underlined, "is not just a Greek phenomenon, but the European Prosecutor is investigating mismanegement phenomena in 24 EU member states." 

The issue with agricultural subsidies "is timeless and relates to all past governments. I note that decisions to recover subsidies worth 3 billion euros have been issued since the closing of the '90s," the Deputy PM said. The ND government however "does not plan to compromise" and "commits that, in the context of the investigation that will follow, all so-called smart ones who received subsidies and are proven they did not qualify for them will have to return them to the public coffers. Besides, some court cases are ongoing on this issue."