Greece: New Cabinet Holds First Meeting

The newly elected government of Greece convened for its first meeting at the parliament on Wednesday.

Newly elected conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis set out 12 key points to his new cabinet in a televised meeting, and promised that he would change the model of governance.

Mitsotakis who won July 7 snap elections said that a significant part of his government's action plan was to achieve strong economic growth, welcome more investments and create better jobs, enhance social solidarity, improve health and education standards, update labor relations, focus more on the environment, revive the middle class, and ease bureaucracy through digital technology.

"We have clear priorities and a clear timetable. Today, you will each receive a dossier with the objectives of each ministry and the outstanding issues and commitments left by the previous government," the prime minister said.

"I have absolute confidence in our ability to change Greece," he underlined.

"We demanded a strong mandate, the citizens gave it to us generously. Now is the time to unite the Greeks under a vision of prosperity. The work has begun."

"We are working for 'us' and not for 'I'. We will reduce the secretariats and associates of government members by a third," he said, adding that there is no time to lose.

With 99.92% of the votes counted, Greece's conservative New Democracy party won snap elections held on July 7.

According to Greece's Interior Ministry, New Democracy got 39.85% of votes and 158 seats in the 300-seat parliament, giving New Democracy party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis an absolute majority to form a government of his own.

Mitsotakis was sworn in as Greece's new prime minister on Monday. -