Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with European Commissioner for Transport and Sustainable Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas at the Maximos Mansion. The meeting addressed topics within the commissioner’s portfolio.
Attending the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis; Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Dimas; Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Vasilis Kikilias; Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni; and Deputy Minister responsible for Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis.
At the start of the meeting Mitsotakis welcomed the commissioner and noted the opportunity to discuss priorities for the coming year and coordination needs between the European Commission and the Greek government, saying it was an excellent chance to hear the commissioner’s priorities and for ministers to raise relevant issues.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, marking nearly one year in office, described his portfolio as highly significant for Greece and Europe, covering infrastructure, transport, shipping, tourism, military mobility and the automotive sector across 27 member states. He said the portfolio reflects about 30% of EU GDP and more than 40% of Greece’s GDP.
Tzitzikostas highlighted that during his first year many legislative initiatives were advanced, resolving long-standing problems across his areas of responsibility. He thanked the Greek government and ministers for their “excellent cooperation,” noting the portfolio’s close links to global geopolitical developments.
Crucially, the commissioner stated that Greece, following tough negotiations and the prime minister’s success, has managed to secure resources exceeding €80 billion from the current programming period (2021–2027). He emphasized Greece’s strong absorption of EU funds and said these investments translate into major projects that drive growth, create jobs and improve citizens’ lives.
Tzitzikostas characterized the cooperation between Greece and the European Union as “Europe in practice,” stressing that Europe cares for its citizens and is increasingly present in daily life and policymaking. He closed by saying he is proud to serve as a Greek commissioner in Brussels and looked forward to continuing close cooperation to deliver solutions within his remit, reviewing sector-by-sector developments and plans for the coming years.
