Measures taken by Greece to reverse declining birth rates and support Greek families were presented to European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Democracy Dubravka Šuica by Minister of State Stavros Papastavrou and Minister for Social Cohesion and Family Sofia Zacharaki, in a meeting at the Maximos Mansion on Friday.
The ministers also outlined measures to bring back young scientists and professionals who had emigrated abroad, according to a government press release.
Šuica praised Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for his initiative in setting up a ministry for social cohesion and families that was also in charge of demographic issues, saying that the European Commission was recommending that other EU member-states follow Greece's example.
Greeting the Commissioner, Papastavrou said that support and protection of families was a top political priority of the government, while noting that the demographic decline was a problem facing the entire EU, though not to an equal extent.
"We have taken measures to support both parents and children. We are continuing our efforts in this direction...Obviously, there are no easy solutions, but Greece is committed to working hard to ensure the demographic and democratic future of the EU," he said.
Zacharaki said that the prime minister will have a national action plan for the demographic issue, prepared with the collaboration of all the ministries, in early May. While a problem for all developed countries, she stressed that the demographic problem also included an element of "national danger" for Greece and was thus a matter of national priority.
She said the government hoped for the support of all the political parties, local government, scientific bodies and civil society in putting a stop to the decline in births that had started several decades earlier and would consult with them and incorporate their input.
The meeting ended with a discussion, in the context of Papastavrou's responsibilities for formulating the long-term strategic planning of the government, of the possibility of cooperation on a European level on issues concerning the so-called 'silver economy' and helping those over 50 acquire digital skills and actively participate in the country's workforce. Equally important was the development of rural areas and fully connecting these with the rest of the country, as well as deurbanisation.
