At the 2025 Wirtschaftsrat Deutschland economic conference in Berlin, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis delivered a speech where he was honored with the “Ludwig Erhard” award for Greece’s economic revival.
“This honor isn’t just mine; it truly belongs to the Greek people,” Mitsotakis stated at the Economic Council Germany Conference. “We are excited to share our journey and encourage businesses to consider Greece as an investment destination. I accept this award on behalf of the Greek populace. Thank you for this recognition, and I eagerly anticipate collaborating with you and your government. Thank you all for your confidence in Greece,” he expressed.
Speaking about the resilience of the Greek people, he noted, “Despite facing immense challenges and making sacrifices, the Greek people have shown remarkable bravery, embracing change and demonstrating tenacity. They have never lost sight of their future. Even during times when Greece was considered Europe’s problematic child and was on the verge of leaving the eurozone.”
Mitsotakis emphasized Greece’s progress, stating, “Our intentions were often misunderstood, and even our role within the European community was questioned. However, this nation, initially met with skepticism in Germany, is now recognized for its determination, discipline, resilience, and capacity to implement tough reforms.”
On the issue of tax evasion, he remarked, “When we tackled tax evasion using digital tools, we were able to increase revenues from those who had previously evaded taxes… Of course, there were initial pushbacks… Now, as we collect more revenue and can share this prosperity with citizens, they see that these reforms are effective.”
Mitsotakis urged German investors to place their trust in Greece, highlighting that while the primary surplus for 2024 was estimated at 2%, it ultimately reached 4.8%. He added, “The most significant impact is evident in employment. Over the last six years, we have generated 500,000 new jobs in Greece, which I believe is the greatest achievement of our economic strategy.”
During his address, he praised Friedrich Merz and the new German Chancellor’s views on the EU, asserting that “true leadership transcends ideologies; it’s about the commitment to find solutions.”
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Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ speech at the 2025 Wirtschaftsrat Deutschland Conference in Berlin.
Mitsotakis further added, “This gold medal signifies our desire to shift Greek-German relations toward the future, making significant European decisions on issues like defense, immigration, and competitiveness,” receiving applause when he underscored the importance of a stable German government in addressing major European challenges.
Shortly after, Friedrich Merz congratulated Mitsotakis on receiving the award, affirming it was well deserved.
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