Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, and his wife Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis at the presidential palace on Monday. AFP
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, and his wife Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis at the presidential palace on Monday. AFP
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, and his wife Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis at the presidential palace on Monday. AFP
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, and his wife Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis at the presidential palace on Monday. AFP

Greek Prime Minister promises 'big reforms' after election landslide


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis promised "big reforms" on Monday as he began a new four-year term following a resounding election win.

Mr Mitsotakis guided Greece's conservative New Democracy party to its biggest win in years after campaigning on an economic turnaround from the 2010s financial crisis.

It was the second election in weeks after a May vote showed strong support for Mr Mitsotakis but left him short of a majority.

After gaining a majority on Sunday, he was formally sworn in for another term by President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

Mr Mitsotakis said his government would "put in place major changes" during his second term, having promised to invest in healthcare and improve railway safety after a collision in February killed 57 people.

He has also pledged to to push ahead with reforms to rebuild Greece's credit rating after the debt crisis, and to boost revenue from the vital tourism industry.

"We will begin working hard for big reforms," he told the president after re-assuming power.

Supporters of the New Democracy party celebrate on election night in Athens. EPA
Supporters of the New Democracy party celebrate on election night in Athens. EPA

Harvard-educated Mr Mitsotakis declined to form a government after May's election, instead gambling that he could win a majority in a re-run once a new voting system took effect.

The gamble paid off, as New Democracy took 158 seats in the 300-member parliament, with left-wing Syriza far behind on 48.

Mr Mitsotakis remains popular despite the rail disaster and a wiretapping scandal involving senior politicians and journalists.

Syriza's leader, former prime minister Alexis Tsipras, conceded a "serious political defeat" and said he would leave his future in the hands of party members.

It was also a good night for several small far-right parties that won enough votes to enter parliament, including a party backed by a jailed former neo-Nazi activist.

Mr Mitsotakis said he believed Greece's democracy "mature enough to handle whatever temporary turbulence" might ensue. He is due to unveil his cabinet later on Monday.

BIOSAFETY LABS SECURITY LEVELS

Biosafety Level 1

The lowest safety level. These labs work with viruses that are minimal risk to humans.

Hand washing is required on entry and exit and potentially infectious material decontaminated with bleach before thrown away.

Must have a lock. Access limited. Lab does not need to be isolated from other buildings.

Used as teaching spaces.

Study microorganisms such as Staphylococcus which causes food poisoning.

Biosafety Level 2

These labs deal with pathogens that can be harmful to people and the environment such as Hepatitis, HIV and salmonella.

Working in Level 2 requires special training in handling pathogenic agents.

Extra safety and security precautions are taken in addition to those at Level 1

Biosafety Level 3

These labs contain material that can be lethal if inhaled. This includes SARS coronavirus, MERS, and yellow fever.

Significant extra precautions are taken with staff given specific immunisations when dealing with certain diseases.

Infectious material is examined in a biological safety cabinet.

Personnel must wear protective gowns that must be discarded or decontaminated after use.

Strict safety and handling procedures are in place. There must be double entrances to the building and they must contain self-closing doors to reduce risk of pathogen aerosols escaping.

Windows must be sealed. Air from must be filtered before it can be recirculated.

Biosafety Level 4

The highest level for biosafety precautions. Scientist work with highly dangerous diseases that have no vaccine or cure.

All material must be decontaminated.

Personnel must wear a positive pressure suit for protection. On leaving the lab this must pass through decontamination shower before they have a personal shower.

Entry is severely restricted to trained and authorised personnel. All entries are recorded.

Entrance must be via airlocks.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal 

Rating: 2/5

The stats

Ship name: MSC Bellissima

Ship class: Meraviglia Class

Delivery date: February 27, 2019

Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT

Passenger capacity: 5,686

Crew members: 1,536

Number of cabins: 2,217

Length: 315.3 metres

Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)

MANDOOB
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Ali%20Kalthami%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Mohammed%20Dokhei%2C%20Sarah%20Taibah%2C%20Hajar%20Alshammari%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog

Most memorable achievement: Leading my first city-wide charity campaign in Toronto holds a special place in my heart. It was for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women program and showed me the power of how communities can come together in the smallest ways to have such wide impact.

Favourite film: Childhood favourite would be Disney’s Jungle Book and classic favourite Gone With The Wind.

Favourite book: To Kill A Mockingbird for a timeless story on justice and courage and Harry Potters for my love of all things magical.

Favourite quote: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill

Favourite food: Dim sum

Favourite place to travel to: Anywhere with natural beauty, wildlife and awe-inspiring sunsets.

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EElggo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20August%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Luma%20Makari%20and%20Mirna%20Mneimneh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Education%20technology%20%2F%20health%20technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Four%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

French Touch

Carla Bruni

(Verve)

WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
Updated: June 26, 2023, 12:00 PM`