“The state is regaining its social function”, emphasized Efi Ahtsioglou, Member of Parliament and Head of Finance Department of K.O. of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, at the presentation event of the program of SYRIZA-P.S. for the protection of the First Home, the Commercial Home and the Agricultural Land.

“Private debt is a permanent problem for the Greek economy and society, but in the last four years it has grown. Not only because of its increase in size – bad loans, debts to the tax office and insurance funds have increased – but mainly because the ND government has established the perception that in this matter the state comes as a punisher”, emphasized Efi Ahtsioglou.

And he added that “the state comes as a punisher:

– With the extrajudicial mechanism that does not regulate and in fact was never legislated to regulate citizens’ debts.

– With the bankruptcy code that looks forward to the liquidation of citizens’ assets and not to their protection.

– By abolishing all protection of the first residence.

– By transferring the loans from the Banks to the funds without any commitment and without any safety net in favor of the citizens. Without even the rudimentary safety margin of making a prior arrangement proposal to the debtor.

This is the basic concept of the ND, which magnified the problem of private debt in Greek society”.

He pointed out, at the same time, that “at the same time, there is a rapid shrinking of the real income of the vast majority of citizens, wage earners, pensioners, the common and middle classes, due to inflation, but also due to the policy pursued by the ND government , which does not reduce indirect taxes, subsidizes profiteering, supports the accumulation of surplus profits in a few business groups”.

Mrs. Ahtsioglou underlined that “the combination of these policies has created a condition of targeting citizens’ income, in order for funds and oligopolies to increase their profitability, to speculate in the midst of a crisis”.

He also emphasized that “the state cannot remain indifferent or careless, while the funds behave disrespectfully towards the citizens. The state cannot stand by and blow the whistle indifferently while properties, first homes are lost, and people are thrown onto the streets, while their incomes plummet. The state cannot be a mechanism and tool for the funds’ speculation”.

He noted, finally, that the plan of SYRIZA-P.S. “it covers the common and middle classes, it enables faster and easier arrangements through a digital platform and out-of-court mechanism, it preserves the possibility of recourse to the court for the citizen. It’s a total protection plan, it’s not a favor or a favor to anyone. The state must intervene socially and this is what we will do when we are given the opportunity to legislate our proposal”.​