Greece is facing a huge demographic problem. What are your proposals to change this situation?
Demographics are perhaps the greatest threat to the future of Greece. It does not only concern the numbers, but also the very continuity of the Nation, social cohesion and the sustainability of our social security system. In the Eurogroup of European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR Group), in which I participate, we have set as a priority the support of the family and the encouragement of childbearing through policies that reward creation and stability. We need tax incentives for young families, housing for young couples, privileged access to childcare and substantial support for motherhood. At the same time, the logic that sees the family as an anachronism must stop. For us, at the ECR, the family is the cornerstone of society and its support is a key step in reversing demographic decline.
One of the main problems faced by young people is punctuality. What do you think is the cause and what can be done to address it?
Today, punctuality affects young people the most. It is the result of wrong choices in European and national energy policy, but also of over-taxation of basic goods. The abrupt and indiscriminate “green transition” burdened households, without sufficient infrastructure having been developed to reduce costs. As an MEP for the ECR Group, I have repeatedly stressed that we need realistic and not ideologically obsessive policies. We propose the reopening and modernization of lignite plants, the imposition of ceilings on energy and fuel prices, as well as the reduction of VAT on essential goods. The ECR believes in economic freedom, in protecting citizens from the markets and in ensuring decent living conditions for young people. We cannot talk about a perspective when young people cannot pay rent or cover their basic needs.
Urbanization is also a very big problem, as more and more young people are driven to large urban centers. What are your proposals to strengthen the region?
The concentration of the population in large urban centers is a symptom of deeper inequality and abandonment of the region. Young people are leaving villages and small towns because there are no professional opportunities, infrastructure or basic services. The Eurogroup of Conservatives and Reformists (ECR Group) has clearly raised the issue of revitalizing the countryside. We believe in strengthening local production, promoting agri-food and small and medium-sized enterprises, providing tax incentives for young people to settle in the region, but also in digital connectivity so that entrepreneurship is not only a privilege of large cities. Greece has incredible potential in the agricultural economy, in tourism, in innovation. What is missing is a European policy that respects national identity and strengthens local communities — exactly as the ECR Group promotes.
Do you believe that there is a prospect of changing this situation? Are you optimistic?
Yes, I am cautiously optimistic, as long as there is political will. The proposals are there, the possibilities are there — what is missing is determination. If the state truly supports the family, gives prospects to young people and trusts the region, then we can talk about restarting Greece. What ECR Group deeply believes is that change does not come from the top down, but through the active participation of citizens. That is why I consider it crucial for citizens, and especially young people, to participate in public affairs and in elections. Not to adopt the mistaken notion that “everyone is the same”. Not everyone is the same; there are voices, like ours at Hellenic Solution and the ECR Group, that are truly fighting for a Europe of nations, values and equal opportunities for young people.
Article paid by ECR Group
