Political pressure on Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government is intensifying on two fronts, with opposition parties targeting both its strategy toward Turkey and its economic agenda ahead of the Thessaloniki International Fair.
PASOK, Greek Solution and the Communist Party (KKE) launched coordinated — though politically distinct — attacks following the prime minister’s comments at the Cabinet meeting, challenging the government’s policy of maintaining “calm waters” in Greek-Turkish relations.
At the same time, the opposition is already attempting to undermine the government’s forthcoming tax relief measures, turning the run-up to the TIF into an increasingly polarized political contest.
PASOK targets the “calm waters” doctrine
PASOK spokesperson Kostas Tsoukalas led the attack, arguing that Athens is attempting to present an overly reassuring picture of relations with Ankara at a time when, according to the opposition party, Turkey continues to challenge Greek positions in the Aegean.
PASOK’s message was that dialogue with Ankara cannot be allowed to evolve into any form of acceptance of Turkish claims.
The party made clear that it would reject any attempt to establish what it described as “co-ownership titles” in the Aegean, seeking to portray itself as adopting a tougher line on Greek sovereign rights.
The criticism directly challenges one of the central arguments of the Mitsotakis government: that reducing tensions and maintaining channels of communication with Ankara does not amount to retreat from Greece’s established national positions.
Velopoulos attacks the government from the right
Kyriakos Velopoulos, leader of the Greek Solution party, also attacked the “calm waters” strategy, attempting to place pressure on the government from the nationalist right.
Velopoulos accused Mitsotakis of invoking international law while, according to his own argument, failing to apply it consistently.
The intervention is politically significant because Greek-Turkish relations are emerging once again as a field where the government faces pressure from different parts of the opposition spectrum.
While PASOK is challenging the government primarily over the effectiveness of its diplomatic strategy, Greek Solution is seeking to capitalize on voters demanding a harder approach toward Ankara.
KKE: Workers should expect nothing from the TIF
The Communist Party also criticized Mitsotakis’ comments on Greek-Turkish relations, but widened its attack to include the economic measures expected to be announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair.
KKE argued that workers and households should not adopt a “wait-and-see” approach ahead of the prime minister’s announcements, dismissing expectations that the TIF package will materially change the pressures facing households.
That criticism opens the second major political battlefield facing the government: taxation and disposable income.
PASOK opens a second front over tax relief
Tsoukalas also targeted Vice President Kostis Hatzidakis and government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis over the tax cuts being prepared by the government.
PASOK described the announcements as another attempt to mislead citizens and accused the government of cynicism.
The strategy is clear: before Mitsotakis even presents the full package in Thessaloniki, the opposition wants to challenge its political credibility and prevent the government from monopolizing the debate over tax relief and household incomes.
For the government, however, the counterargument is expected to focus on the permanent nature and fiscal sustainability of its interventions — portraying the measures not as temporary benefits but as the result of stronger public finances and economic growth.
Two battlefields converge ahead of Thessaloniki
The confrontation reveals how quickly the political agenda is consolidating around two issues with potentially significant electoral weight: national security and household finances.
On Turkey, Mitsotakis must defend the argument that dialogue and deterrence can operate simultaneously.
On the economy, he must convince voters that the coming tax cuts will translate into a meaningful increase in disposable income rather than another round of political promises.
The opposition, meanwhile, is attempting to weaken both pillars before the prime minister reaches Thessaloniki.
The result is that the TIF is no longer shaping up merely as the government’s annual economic showcase. It is becoming the opening arena of a much broader political confrontation over security, taxation and the credibility of the competing strategies for Greece.
Source: pagenews.gr