Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance published an interview with Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis outlining the government’s 2026 economic outlook and policy priorities following his election as Eurogroup President. He said the tax cuts announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair will be reflected in citizens’ bank accounts from the start of the new year, and that additional tax relief measures in 2026 would depend on permanent fiscal space. The interview cited forecasts for Greece to grow by more than 2% in 2026 versus about 1% for the euro area, with inflation at 2.4% in November. It also highlighted income and labour market indicators, including the minimum wage having increased by more than 35% from 2019 to 2025 and expected to exceed 40% by 2026, net pay up by around 32% versus 2019 following tax and social contribution reductions, and unemployment at 8.6% in October 2025. On investment and funding, Pierrakakis said 2026 will see elevated EU Recovery Fund disbursements of around EUR 7.2bn in grants and more than EUR 4bn in loans, alongside a Public Investment Programme planned to be strengthened through 2029. For Thessaloniki, he set out a timetable for the DETh-HELEXPO redevelopment, with the construction tender process expected to start in the first half of 2026 and completion targeted within 2029 under a EUR 120m budget.

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