25-Year Record in Job Creation in Greece – Mitsotakis: Targeting €950 Minimum Wage

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has hailed the latest employment data as a sign of strong economic progress, pointing to a record-breaking increase in new job positions in the first half of 2025. According to figures released by the ERGANI information system, more than 340,500 new jobs were created between January and June – the highest number recorded in the past 25 years.

“Fighting unemployment has been a top priority for our government since 2019,” Mitsotakis stated in a post on social media. “This progress is no coincidence but the result of targeted policies.”

Most of these new positions emerged during the early summer months, with tourism and food service sectors leading the way. Notably, full-time employment slightly outpaced flexible working arrangements, accounting for 192,784 jobs or 52.78% of the total.

In June 2025 alone, wage employment in the private sector increased by 15,668 positions, as 365,226 new hires were recorded against 349,558 departures. Of the departures, 112,837 were voluntary, while 236,721 resulted from either contract terminations or contract expirations.

Government’s Goal: €950 Minimum Wage

“There is no greater social injustice than unemployment and the inequalities it causes,” Mitsotakis emphasized. He reiterated that the recovery in employment stems from a combination of economic and labor market interventions, such as:

• Tax and social security contribution cuts
• Investment incentives
• Simplification of bureaucratic processes

Special focus has also been placed on active employment policies and training programs, especially for vulnerable groups such as women, youth, persons with disabilities, and retirees seeking to re-enter the workforce.

“This progress is a collective achievement,” he said, “and proves that Greece is advancing even in turbulent times that challenge stronger economies.”

The prime minister also highlighted that three out of four workers in Greece are now employed in full-time positions, up 10 percentage points since 2019, when part-time work was more prevalent.

Digital Work Card and Future Goals

Greece’s digital work card, currently protecting 1.9 million workers, was cited as a major step forward in combatting undeclared and under-reported employment.

Mitsotakis concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving labor conditions and wages:

“We are building a fairer and better-paid job market. Our target remains a €950 minimum wage and a €1,500 average wage by 2027. We said it, and we are doing it.” Source: pagenews.gr