“The issue of de-escalation of prices is an issue for all of us, cooperation and joining of forces is required, the Minister of Development pointed out Takis Theodorikakos.

“We will constantly intervene and do everything to support Greek society”, he noted and underlined that “we are all judged every day, there is no grace period”, he said characteristically while speaking on the ANT1 show “Morning Greece” and the journalists Giorgos Papadakis and Maria Anastasopoulou.

In this context, he referred to the role and mission of the Ministry of Development.

“It is the overall goal of the government for the average salary to reach 1,500 euros at the end of the four-year period and the minimum to 950. We are serving this goal by implementing policies for a new production model,” he said.

“We are implementing the national plan for industry, reconstructing 20 industrial parks with 60 thousand workers, implementing programs amounting to 75 million euros for the digitization of businesses and 300 million euros for research and innovation in businesses” he continued and added:

“The role of the Ministry of Development is pivotal in the implementation of the country’s new production model and the strengthening of citizens’ disposable income”

Focusing on the issue of price de-escalation, Mr. Theodorikakos stated that the goal of the Ministry of Development is “to ensure through strict and systematic controls the normal functioning of the market and the functioning of competition”. “The success of the goal of de-escalation of prices requires joining forces, profit is legitimate, profiteering is not,” the Minister of Development emphasized and referred to the guidelines of his policy:

• Strengthening of the audit mechanism for more and better quality audits – DIMEA is immediately strengthened with 30 new officers
• Cooperation with independent authorities – “We will also support the Competition Commission to do its job well, as well as the Consumer Ombudsman”
• Upgrade of the e-katanalotis platform, which already contains information on 3000 products
• Informing citizens – Meeting with the representatives of the consumer movement – “The informed consumer has power”, he said characteristically
• Extension of emergency measures until December 31
• Systematic market monitoring – Especially in the path from field to shelf and the role of middlemen
• Reviewing the limit of fines and monitoring the collection process
• Meetings with industrialists and owners of supermarket companies.

“We want to support healthy entrepreneurship, respecting the legality” clarified Mr. Theodorikakos and added: “I ask them to support the society. Industrialists and supermarket owners want to help. We will see how this will be done with them.”

When asked about the issue of VAT, the Minister of Development pointed out that in Spain, where prices were reduced, they went up. Regarding the price difference in the products of the multinationals, Mr. Theodorikakos said that the Greek government, following the recent letter of the Prime Minister, will bring the issue back up once the new European Commission is formed.