A few 24 hours before they open May 21 pollsthe statement of the SYRIZA MP – and former Minister of Labor – set fire to the political scene George Katrougalou that there is a possibility if SYRIZA is elected, to restore the self-employed contributions to 20%.

Specifically, when asked about this on a TV panel by Adonis Georgiadis, the former minister answered “Yes”.

After the statement, this morning a war of announcements broke out between Megaros Maximos and Koumoundouros, while Mr. Katrougalos, pressured by the uproar caused by his statements, was forced to back down, saying that he was expressing personal opinions.

The government representative, Akis Schertsosspeaking to SKAI 100.3, spoke of a hidden agenda of SYRIZA with the aim of bringing back the Katrougalou law from the window, adding that Koumoundourou is preparing a new tax-raid at the expense of the middle class.

“We learned yesterday from Mr. Tsipras how he imagines another version of progressive governance, with a special purpose government that will paralyze everything. We now learn that they also have a hidden agenda of a new tax-raid on incomes, which brings back the Katrougalou law from the window, in relation to the imposition of additional increased rates on the insurance deductions of self-employed professionals, at 20% of their annual income” he stressed to SKAI Mr. Skertsos added: “The SYRIZA program is not coming out, it is not costed. SYRIZA has a hidden agenda of taxes or additional borrowing, new debts, new supervision, a new financial disaster for the country” underlined Mr. Skertsos.

For her part, the press representative of SYRIZA, Popi Tsapanidou, denied with two announcements that SYRIZA plans to restore the Katrougalou law: “No change in the burden on employees in relation to their insurance contributions is foreseen in the SYRIZA program,” he said.

“All that the SYRIZA program foresees is income increases with tax-free increases and the abolition of the pretense tax. Faced with the fear that the election coincides with the end of the 3rd week of the month and probably most middle-class freelancers will go to the polls without a euro in their pocket, Mr. Mitsotakis and the ND distortion machine are once again trying to deceive the citizens.

The SYRIZA program does not provide for any change in the burden on employees in relation to their insurance contributions, which has been published for a long time and everyone has the opportunity to study it”.

Afterwards, and in the midst of fierce reactions, Mrs. Tsapanidou came back with a fierce attack against Mitsotakis: “After Mr. Mitsotakis reduced the middle class to living on vouchers, he is trying to save himself at the last minute by lying about the SYRIZA program. Our program does not impose any tax or insurance burden on the middle class, freelancers or the self-employed. On the contrary, it provides relief and protection of their incomes and property, in a contract with citizens that is a commitment.

» The middle class knows, Mr. Mitsotakis. But four years of ND, means four more years of taxation, coupons and auctions. Victory of SYRIZA on Sunday for breathing space in the middle class”.

And Giorgos Katrougalos issued a statement retracting last night’s position: “In relation to the contributions, I expressed my personal opinion, that it is better that most people pay less and that no one is overburdened” he said in a statement that he also posted on Twitter after the severe attack received by SYRIZA.

Besides, the secretary of the Political Committee of the New Democracy Pavlos Marinakis said:

“In yesterday’s TV appearance, George Katrougalos said it clearly: if SYRIZA returns to power with any form of government, freelancers will pay 20% of their annual income as a contribution to EFKA every year. In other words, they will bring back all those provisions that deliberately destroyed both the lower income strata and the middle class and which were deemed unconstitutional by the Council of State.

Applying what we promised to the citizens in 2019, with the new insurance system, the insured have the possibility to choose their insurance category and, accordingly, the contributions they will pay. In this way, most self-employed people could see their contributions reduced by more than 35%. It turns out that a Tsipras government, in whatever form it takes, will once again raid the incomes of citizens, especially the middle class.

It is, after all, one of the few things in which SYRIZA has proven expertise. Because, however, the citizens now know, on Sunday with their vote for New Democracy and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, they will choose to continue firmly and boldly, forward.