Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis on Friday outlined planned changes to election laws to allow local government elections in a single round of voting, instead of the current two, saying the aim was to reduce the inconvenience for citizens and boost participation.
Speaking to Parapolitika 90.1 radio, he said the government wanted to do this more than three years ahead of the next municipal and regional elections so that local government officials will have time to adjust to the process.
"This entire institutional framework began to be discussed mainly at the level of local governments by the Minister of the Interior, Theodoros Livanios, with the meeting of KEDE a few months ago, and in the coming weeks, all of this will unfold so that the required dialogue can take place both with the parties and at the level of public consultation,” Marinakis said.
He said the plan was to have one round of elections, in which "citizens will essentially have made a second choice from the first round so that they do not have to come again."
Regarding general elections, he ruled out any change in electoral law, while noting that the government's aim is a single-party majority and government.
Questioned regarding the fight against crime, he said the police had made more reform efforts in recent years than in all the preceding decades, with a measurable impact on levels of crime, including domestic violence and sports violence. In terms of serious crime, he pointed out that the police directorate against organised crime had busted 48 major criminal organisations in the last five months, while he also pointed to successes against public-sector corruption, drug trafficking and others.
"We are moving in two directions: To recap, as many busts and dismantlings of criminal organisations as possible....and, secondly, a different Penal Code," he said, noting that the previous code had criminals "opening champagne" as it reduced the penalties and jail time for all crimes, even serious offences. Marinakis also referred to the need for more neighbourhood policing and noted that the situation, while better, was "not what is demanded".
Replying to questions about Turkiye and the Maritime Spatial Planning announced by Greece, as well as the Greece-Cyprus power cable, the spokesperson repeated that the issue of the cable was a "technical and planning matter" and that nothing has changed with respect to the announcements made by the foreign minister on this issue.
He concluded by stressing that the Greek side believes in dialogue with Turkiye and considers that this extended phase of dialogue has brought benefits, including a decline in migration flows and airspace violations. Marinakis repeated that Greece has only a single difference with Turkiye, which is the delineation of the Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf, while stressing that no government will make concessions on issues of sovereignty.