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Mitsotakis to offer incentives to 18-29 age group in keynote address

Mitsotakis to offer incentives to 18-29 age group in keynote address

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to devote part of his keynote speech at the Thessaloniki International Fair on Saturday to measures benefiting Greece’s youth.

“The young will be at the center of the prime minister’s speech,” government spokesman Yiannis Oikonomou told reporters at his regular briefing on Thursday. And while the contents of the speech are still under wraps, Kathimerini has been told that the Prime Minister’s Office has been hard at work on what they call a “holistic” package targeting the 18-29 age group. This, for four reasons: first, this is the group entering the job market; second, the oldest members of the group are starting families; third, the government is anxious that the group not join the considerable brain drain that started during Greece’s protracted financial crisis and is still ongoing; fourth, the government’s popularity has always been far lower among this group than their elders and it wants to woo them.

Officials would not reveal specifics, but, generally speaking, there will be three axes. First, measures boosting employment: The government does not wish to keep subsidizing unemployment, but is expected to provide incentives toward employment. Second, there will be some across-the-board financial perks which could take the form of reduced charges and fees. Third, there will be an emphasis on training programs.

To the above, one could add the recent enactment of reforms in the supplementary pension schemes, which, according to the government, will help make the system viable.

There will also be something for those aged 12-17, whom the government has encouraged to get vaccinated ahead of the new academic year that starts Monday. It won’t be a financial bonus, but it may take the form of, for example, free Internet data.

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