ATHENS – The thorny issue of rising energy prices was among the issues included in Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ message for the March 25 national holiday marking the start of Greece’s 1821 war of independence against Ottoman rule.

The prime minister noted the action taken so far by the government to support households and businesses, saying that it will do its utmost to stand at the side of every Greek man and woman but this did not mean fully exhausting all its reserves.

“No public purse of any country is able to cover the repercussions of a global earthquake. It can only mitigate them,” he noted, adding: “Common problems demand common solutions. This is precisely why I am here, at the [EU] summit, for a single European natural gas market. For a strike against international profiteering. And for a common answer to the rally in prices.”

Mitsotakis noted that this year’s anniversary of the March 25 holiday marks the launch of Greece’s third century of independence, which it views with confidence and optimism, a day in which to honour all the Greeks that have fought for freedom, growth and prosperity.

“This year we welcome the national holiday with the only certainty being the uncertainty of a war. A fire has once again been lit in Europe, painting the borders with blood and leading millions to become refugees. It is a geopolitical crisis that, along with the cities of Ukraine, bombards the international energy market, thus sparking a rise in prices in all countries and for all products,” he said, noting that this new crisis had broken out before the pandemic had fully ended.

“At a moment, in fact, when Greece was leaving behind stagnation and entering a path of growth. We must stay upon this! Collecting all our strength and resilience so that, once again, an international ordeal will become a national victory,” he said.

The prime minister said that he was well aware of the difficulties that each household faced from these imported price hikes, with the government raising the first defence in the form of subsidies and fuel discounts to absorb a part of the increase, with support measures for farmers.

He noted that, 201 years ago, a struggle was started by a few that many people in the world had not believed in and yet it worked. “We are called on to wage the struggle of our own time together, united. We are, in any case, armed with the teachings that gave birth to our free state. With confidence in our strength, calm understanding and a willingness to turn every obstacle into a springboard.”