The Prime Minister's return from his lightning trip to Strasbourg may have been accompanied by a European commitment of more than 2.2 billion euros in support following the disasters of the Daniel storm, but the hard times are now beginning for the government, which is facing the effects of the recent natural disasters.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has given the green light for the immediate activation of European solidarity, with Europe standing by the Greeks through a total of five sources of funding. Firstly, by absorbing money from the previous period that was not spent from the Cohesion Funds, by channelling funds from the European Support Fund, from the Common Agricultural Policy programme, especially for the restoration of forests and rural infrastructure, and with resources from the Recovery Fund of around €400 million.
In the government staff the concern is about the size of the final bill. Early estimates put the cost of the - direct and indirect - necessary interventions at over €6 billion, a sum that will not have to be covered in full this year. In any case, the need for immediate disbursements of hundreds of millions for the initial needs of the affected people is leading to the submission of a supplementary budget.
The proposals for changes and the reshuffle scenarios
In this climate, the government is looking for a political way out of the hammering it is receiving, with Kyriakos Mitsotakis being called upon to give convincing answers in his appearance at the TIF, both on what he will do from now on to restore basic infrastructure, the support of residents, businesses and agricultural capital, and above all whether, with the removal of Miltiadis Varvitsiotis - for his misguided statements on the murderous act in Piraeus - the cycle of early changes in the government is closed.
However, the debate has been heated after the recent quote from the government spokesman, who said that "no one except everyone is being evaluated every day, so this is an ongoing process".
For many, this was a clear message to certain political figures, who by virtue of their position had direct responsibility for planning the management of the consequences of the disaster that hit Thessaly, that change is just around the corner and that they themselves are in the frame of options to leave their ministerial chairs.
More advanced analyses identify these changes even by the end of the week, considering it imperative that the Prime Minister has closed all fronts before his appearance at the TIF at the weekend, with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, however, keeping his cards closed for the time being.
What remains to be seen is the scope of the changes the prime minister will choose to make, both in the composition of his cabinet and more broadly in the way the so-called executive state operates.
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