“The applications so far on the market pass platform are hundreds of thousands. About 115,000 have already been approved,” the Minister of Development and Investments told SKA 100.3 Adonis Georgiades.

Responding to the opposition’s criticism that, on the occasion of Market pass spoke of crumbs, Mr. Georgiadis said “if 10% is crumbs in the pocket, then 10% is crumbs in the increase in food.”

Referring to her case Spain that reduced the VAT, Mr. Georgiadis commented that the Spanish government now that it found that while the measure in question cost them 700 million, only 40 million reached the consumer. This is also the reason, as he mentioned, that the Spanish are considering returning the VAT to where it was and distributing the money directly to the citizens.

Asked for the decision of Mr. Karamanlis not to be a candidate in the upcoming elections, he said that this is a personal decision that he is respected.

“His announcement was clear and without political spikes as he declared that he supports the faction,” Mr. Georgiadis emphasized.