ATHENS – The timing of increasing the monthly minimum wage in the private sector is not related to national elections timing, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday.

At the annual wellwishing ceremony to President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Mitsotakis fielded questions by the press. He said, “I would like to clarify this. The choice to introduce (the raise) a month earlier relates to the fact that the first quarter ends in April, the tourism period opens, and there are a lot of people in the tourism sector.”

According to press reports, talks on the raise will begin in January between the government and social partners, and the change introduced as of May 1. As to the date of national elections for the government’s end of term, it has not officially been announced yet.