“We are close to society,” said Finance Minister Christos Staikouras, speaking yesterday on the budget debate. The Minister of Finance referred to the tax cuts and the efforts to support households in the increases of the electricity tariffs due to the energy crisis, the measures to support the disposable income, the course of the economy, the measures to support the disposable income and the forthcoming increase. of the minimum wage.
Tax cuts, electricity bills
The Minister of Finance, commenting on the positions of the general and special rapporteurs of the opposition, noted that there were no repeated references to “padlocks, rising unemployment, impoverishment” that had been mentioned in last year’s budget debate. “Fortunately for the country, the opposition was refuted, which is why the same words were not repeated today.”
“We have never presented a rosy situation”, said Christos Staikouras and added: “Citizens have recently received or are receiving three liquidations. The tax clearance, ENFIA and PPC. The vast majority saw reduced tax clearances. This government. In ENFIA, for the past two years, society as a whole, with a particular emphasis on the lower income classes, has been paying an average lower ENFIA. They also have the Social Invoice, they pay, despite the interventions, the continuous and successive interventions of the government, higher bills. This is the truth. Energy Transition Fund, with successive efforts in September, October and November. It is obvious that PPC is trying to cover the most important thing of this really big increase in tariffs. And we will continue to do so. And we will probably do it even more intensely, as the crisis continues. But the reality is that in this area, too, we are as close to society as possible. “
The recovery
The Minister of Finance said that the third quarter of 2021 is the best of the last decade and this is a significant achievement for the society itself and its efforts. “When unemployment falls, and according to the data, is the biggest decline in European countries in the last two years, we can only recognize that. It is the efforts, collectively of society and government, minus 3% in the last two years, when “The average in Europe is plus 0.2%. When the disposable income of the citizen, due to the reduction of taxes has increased in 2021, we can not hide that, it is a conquest of the country”, said Christos Staikouras and added that ” in the second quarter of 2021, the disposable income of households is higher than in the second quarter of 2019. That is, before the health crisis “. The minister said that citizens’ deposits have been increasing every month for the past two years. “In October, when the price crisis started, deposits increased by 500 million euros. The turnover of companies in the 9 months of 2021 is the turnover of companies in the 9 months of 2019. That is why it is justified that there is an increase in deposits because, close to them, the state came and gave 43 billion euros, strengthening the picture in the real economy that had reached 9 months, at the level of 2019. That’s the strong recovery.Poverty has shrunk.Investments have strengthened.Exports “They have reached a record level, only in the 9 months, 10 months of the year”, said the Minister of Finance and stressed that these data reflect a good picture and good prospects for the Greek economy.
The risks
At the same time, however, Christos Staikouras did not deny that things “are not idyllic” given the health and energy crisis. “There are risks ahead of us. They are fully reflected in the budget. The government has methodically, insightfully, consistently built cash, to be covered for any development in 2022, in monetary policy,” the minister said, insisting “the big picture is good. The outlook is positive but yes, there are risk problems that we have to deal with, with today being the most accurate, the problem being acute, it is more acute than the initial estimates at European level, it lasts longer than the initial estimates. it is temporary “.
Support of disposable income
“The State should help with permanent interventions the disposable income of the citizen. With permanent tax reductions. We also come with short-term measures, amounting to 1.1 billion euros, so far, and we help the citizen to cope with the energy crisis and we will double “increase of the minimum wage. The first, already from 1.1.2022”, said Christos Staikouras. “We will increase it by 2%, 1.1.2022 and there will be a second increase in the minimum wage,” said the Minister of Finance. Commenting on what SYRIZA’s Chief of Economy Efi Ahtsioglou had stated earlier, Mr. Staikouras said: “Ms. Ahtsioglu submitted a table saying that Spain on September 28, 2021 increased the minimum wage. “How much? From 950 euros to 965 euros. That is 1.6. This is your suggestion? We are increasing by 2% and we will continue to do so”, said Christos Staikouras.
“We have challenges ahead of us. We recognize that the country has high debt but sustainable debt. We recognize that the country is the only one under enhanced supervision. And it is not at an investment level. Great challenges lie ahead. “with early repayment of the IMF, with early repayment of bilateral loans with the eurozone member states, to demonstrate the seriousness with which we face the present and the future of the country,” said the Minister of Finance.
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