“We are in the middle of summer and a large part of the Greek people feel like strangers in their own country, since the economic conditions do not allow them to organize even a few days’ vacations,” noted Mr. Androulakis.
Opening the thematic press conference of PASOK – Movement for Change on dealing with the increased cost of living due to energy price increases, increased inflation and high housing costs, the president of PASOK – Movement for Change Nikos Androulakis described the Movement’s different ideological approach to dealing with of widening social inequalities.
“We are in the middle of summer and a large part of the Greek people feel like strangers in their own country, since the economic conditions do not allow them to organize even a few days’ vacations,” noted Mr. Androulakis.
“Our country has the 5th highest inflation in the Eurozone, 12%. 3.4 points above average. Relative to incomes, we have the most expensive gasoline as for 60 liters Greeks spend 5.58% of their salary, the highest percentage among all OECD countries. Electricity prices remain high.
The government removed the readjustment clause, incorporating the surcharges into kilowatt-hour prices. Not even a week after this new system began to be implemented, the government violates the law that it proposed and voted for,” noted Mr. Androulakis.
The president of PASOK-Movement for Change insisted that although the VAT is overperforming and the government collects more than 1 billion euros, “it refuses to reduce indirect taxes on basic goods and fuel to give citizens a breather. After proceeding to the second largest fiscal expansion during the pandemic, which however did not bring the corresponding results as in other countries, as we recovered the lost GDP later than the majority of European states. After he reduced the tax burden on large real estate, even exceeding the budgeted reduction. After he reduced the tax on dividends and increased the tax-free parental benefits to the outrageous amount of 4.8 million euros per beneficiary, suddenly the money tree of Mr. Mitsotakis dried up. . Obviously at his own financial responsibility.”
The PASOK-Movement for Change insists on the need to adopt the imposition of a ceiling on the retail price of electricity, the reduction of VAT on basic goods and the reduction of taxation on fuel for some time. With regard to the social housing program, with funding from the Recovery Fund, it is proposed to utilize public properties to create a stock of social housing to be rented at a cheap price by young couples and the financially vulnerable, as well as the provision of tax incentives for private individuals to dispose of the properties them in the social housing program. At the same time, the adoption of rules and principles for short-term leases is required.
“Are what we are proposing similar to what New Democracy and SYRIZA are saying? Let’s start with the government. The basic tool of economic and social policy is the tax system. What are the priorities of New Democracy?
After 10 years of an incredible fiscal adventure with tragic moments for the Greek people, here comes Mr. Mitsotakis and continues the dividend tax reduction started by Mr. Tsipras. And he adds from the TIF stage the policy for large real estate and parental benefits. Does it favor someone from the middle class? Raising the limit from 900,000 euros to 400,000 euros, I understand. What is the point of reaching 4.2 million? So here we are talking about other priorities and a completely different strategy in terms of the country’s economic development and social priorities. In the hands of Mr. Tsipras, on the other hand, after 2015, the bomb concerning the rapid increase in rents due to short-term leasing and the golden visa explodes. What did he do; Zero found the social housing stock, zero left it. Instead of Mr. Mitsotakis and Mr. Tsipras learning the lessons of the tragic consequences that the economic crisis had on the Greek people, they continue the same culture. Many words without content and strategic customer choices that increase costs for the Greek people without respecting their taxes and favoring specific interests”.
You are invited to comment on it government’s higher education bill and the comments of the SYRIZA MP Christoforos Bernardakis at the expense of Niki Kerameos, Mr. Androulakis noted:
“We directly condemn anything that sows discord, hatred and the discrediting of political speech. The way SYRIZA officials oppose is a weapon in the hands of the government. Another opposition is needed, which will raise the issues in a realistic way and solve them with a progressive sign. This is our anxiety and our effort, our faction to be a reliable opposition to a government whose strategic choices and the bill you mentioned are for the benefit of the few.
The bill submitted by New Democracy changes once again the way universities are administered. It essentially short-circuits the administration at the universities and at the same time does not strengthen their public character and the ability to provide services of a higher level to the children of the Greek people, which is why we have a negative position towards the legislative initiative of Mrs. Kerameos. We have submitted our proposals. Even the academic mobility clauses, which we had put in place in order to break the familial institutions in the universities, are removed by Mrs. Kerameos, favoring these institutions to develop anew”.
In the Press Conference granted by PASOK-Movement for Change with the central theme of the increased cost of living (energy-inflation-social housing), the Secretary of the Party’s Energy Sector Harry Doukas pointed out that “our country is recorded as the third most expensive for electricity in Europe along with Italy and Malta. We are the second country in cost at the pump, while Finland is the first.” In the proposal presented by Mr. Doukas, he highlighted the great importance of strengthening and operating Renewable Energy Sources in our country so that Greece is not a transit center but a large electric avenue that will join Bavaria and provide energy to most of Europe.
THE Philip Sachinides, member of the Political Council of PASOK – Movement for Change and former Minister underlined that “Greece is a champion in inflation and only the Baltic countries and Slovakia overtake us due to proximity to the war in Ukraine”. He then presented the proposals of the PASOK-Movement for Change to curb inflation and accuracy stressing that “we must proceed with the reduction of taxes and the increase of the minimum wage to 751 euros as the Government exempts those with income from the capital and burdens those have incomes from work, as a result of which an increase in income inequality is observed.”
In his intervention, Mr. Ilias Kikilias, adviser on Economic Issues of PASOK-Movement for Change after underlining that “for our party access to housing is a fundamental social right”, he presented specific proposals for the strengthening of social housing. Specifically, Mr. Kikilias argued that “European resources must be utilized for the development of houses that are scattered in the cities and given with social criteria. The Universities should have the responsibility and care to build the student roofs themselves. Also, to provide incentives to owners so that their properties are rented at affordable prices and do not remain unused and finally to adopt rules and principles for short-term rentals. For PASOK – Movement for Change, housing is not a necessity, but a fundamental social right.”
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