Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker discussed energy security, defense, migration and bilateral cooperation during talks in Salzburg on Monday, with Mitsotakis stressing the need for a more competitive Europe and stronger coordination on common challenges.
Speaking after the meeting, Mitsotakis said soaring energy costs remained a major concern for European households and businesses, arguing that the European Union could not remain competitive while consumers and companies continued to face high prices.
“We cannot talk about a competitive Europe when households and businesses pay high energy costs,” Mitsotakis said, adding that it was unfair for countries such as Greece and Austria, which have invested heavily in renewable energy, to bear a disproportionate burden.
He said Greece had evolved from a natural gas importer into a regional energy hub supplying southeastern Europe, arguing that energy security was inseparable from geopolitical security.
“The same applies to defense,” Mitsotakis said. “Europe must strengthen its defense and not hesitate to activate the mutual assistance clause if necessary.”
