Greek premier seeks EU consent for temporary fuel tax cut amid high pump prices

In a Sunday post, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis argued that Greece’s fiscal reserves are insufficient to address the surge in fuel prices without European Union support. He requested that the EU consider allowing exceptional national measures that would not count toward EU spending caps, which could pave the way for a temporary cut in fuel taxes. The government and refineries have already acted to keep heating oil below 1.75 euros per litre and have prolonged a diesel subsidy until October.

Mitsotakis cited recent credit rating upgrades by Moody’s and Scope as evidence of economic progress, and he pointed to a new partnership between the Public Power Corporation and Amazon Web Services that will boost the country’s data-center sector and create high-skill jobs. He also referenced the approval of 928 investment plans totaling 3.1 billion euros, expected to generate at least 15,000 high-productivity positions, and praised the completion of the Ellinikon Sports Park as a flagship redevelopment project.