"The new financial package for the period 2026-2032 constitutes a very important injection of support for the economy and society at a time when analyses predominating see no new phase of the Recovery Fund for all countries of the European Union. The new package corresponds to 50% of the Recovery Fund, so we will have significant support directed at critical areas, such as environmental protection, energy conservation, support for urban transport, housing, and social cohesion with an emphasis on actions for people with disabilities," Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis said on Tuesday in an interview with public broadcaster ERT. He was commenting on announcements made on Monday about a package of new European programmes amounting to eight billion euros, with the activation of three new European funds (Social Climate Fund, Modernisation Fund and the Island Decarbonisation Fund).

He noted that, while for the first two funds the actions are apply equally to all countries of the European Union, the decarbonisation fund concerns only the Greek islands and is the result of the Mitsotakis government's negotiation in the EU.

In response to a question about OPEKEPE, Hatzidakis reiterated that in order to avoid any feeling of injustice, the government will exhaust all possibilities to recover unduly paid subsidies.