The need to revise the tax system with the establishment of a simple and stable system over the course of a decade was underlined by the president of SYRIZA-PS, Stefanos Kasselakis, at an event of the Circle of Young Entrepreneurs.

“The idea of ​​prepayment of income tax is a scam, it is a world first, it is a failure and it also makes it difficult to deal with tax evasion,” said Mr. Kasselakis and added: “The tax system must be revised, taxation must be simple. The tax code that changes every three months only favors politicians so that businessmen owe them favors. Few in Greek politics want a simple and stable tax system. In this context, the independent tax on dividends should also be reviewed. But in any case let’s know what the rules are for ten years.” Regarding presumptive taxation, he said that “it is not a modern measure, it is completely absurd and punitive” and added: “It is because they have decided not to use modern means for taxation. The mindset that there is a communications cover and protection for what the government does is dangerous. We also saw it in the Independent Authorities. It is important that there is an AAE for the benefit of the citizen”. Regarding taxation, he reiterated that he is in favor of establishing a progressive scale in both businesses and individual incomes. Up to 220,000 euros the rate drops to 17% and increases to 24% for more than 220,000 euros. This will have a positive impact on revenue as well. Progressive scale in both businesses and individual incomes”.

Answering a question about SYRIZA’s policy towards the middle class when it was in government, he answered: “SYRIZA’s policy towards the middle class was harsh and punitive. On the other hand, there were 400,000 families on the verge of a humanitarian crisis. Also 2.5 million of our fellow citizens without medical care. The government should leave them without medicine. The two governments of Simitis and Karamanlis derailed the country. With the arrival of the international crisis of 2008, they threw the country on the rocks. And let’s not forget that there were two memoranda before SYRIZA that failed.”

In any case, he assured that “our policy will be completely different in diametrically opposite direction”. Regarding the pre-election statements of Katrougalos, he said that “Mr. Katrougalos is not with us”.

To a question about how long he can wait until he becomes prime minister, he answered: “It is not my goal to become prime minister. I will be able to sleep easy if I don’t become prime minister, but I won’t be easy if I don’t try to serve the country. Fireplaces do not express me, we want to offer”. He further noted: “There is a long history of the Left with capital and business, I don’t want to stir things up. We are with society, we want justice everywhere, we want a public sector that will work efficiently and transparently for the benefit of citizens and at the same time will facilitate entrepreneurship”.

He said in more detail: “We have public services that have been deconstructed after 10 years of a memorandum and due to the ignorance of the Mitsotakis government. The public sector is understaffed. Our view is that the age of the fax is over. One of the basics that someone needs to start a business is not only capital, money, it is the social welfare state, it is to have a good education. It is also the Health sector so that if something happens to you, you can cope”. He noted that the state should invest in public Universities.

He made a special reference to the judicial system: “The fact that we are in the 27th position in the administration of justice is not by chance, it is a choice, it takes effort to achieve it. It favors those who enter the judicial process from a position of power. A young entrepreneur who sticks to courts against more powerful will not be able to compete with them”. He also noted that for the improvement of the judicial system, the first step is their staffing. The second is digital listening. Another element is the speed in the administration of justice.

Continuing, he said: “I mentioned three branches of the operation of the state which are the conditions for there to be healthy entrepreneurship. This is our role. Our role is not only to distribute the European support packages – which are very important – but to create the conditions for business”.

He also noted that there is a demographic problem as well as that “we have one country one city. The region is languishing. There are towns that have lost 10% of their population in a few years. We have a business gap. Foreign direct investment is in the real estate sector which is welcome but not sufficient. In order for Greeks from abroad to return, they want a fair and efficient state that respects the citizens, not a state that characterizes everyone as tax evaders. But even this is not enough, the issue of mentality is also important. Society has a way to go on sensitive social issues. The young Greeks abroad want to return but in a favorable environment”.

Summarizing, he said that “if anything emerges from the discussion, it is that the party headquarters should talk to the citizens. The people should vote not based on family tradition but based on arguments. SYRIZA’s program will be detailed and with proposals for laws. What is needed is a self-reliant government that is credible. Government credibility is what we are building. We will not have channels with us, we may have their sympathy when they find that we have electricity with us. However, people are listening to us and there is huge expectation. It is it’s up to us to bypass the mainstream media.” Responding to a related question, he also noted that “the left is primarily patriotic. There is no reason to have this discussion, there are some stereotypes of ethnonihilism that do not express me and do not express SYRIZA-PS”. He also emphasized that he is against partisanship in the administrations of Universities as well as Hospitals and reiterated his support for ASEP. When asked about Pavlos Polakis, he said that “his style is different from mine. Pavlos is an honest and good MP. But he is not the only member of the team, he is in favor of meritocracy and has improved a lot lately”.

Mr. Kasselakis was accompanied by Diana Voutirakou, responsible for the staffing of the SYRIZA think tanks, who referred to the connection of entrepreneurship with society and the need to overcome stereotypes and taboos regarding the relationship of the Left with healthy entrepreneurship. Intervening on the question of whether it will endure, Mr. Kasselakis noted: “The issue is whether citizens and society will endure. For our part, we have to be there.”

He referred to the brain drain saying: “Tax breaks are not the only thing for us young people to go back to. A recent survey showed that Greeks have trouble paying their bills. Turn back to return to our ancestral homes? When the discussion has been opened internationally for a four-day or even a three-day work, we make the eight-hour day twelve hours. We also have to deal with job insecurity.” He also said that “we want quality public education. It was this in the past that ensured us social mobility”. Regarding private education, he noted: “if the admission filters are the same for private and public universities, then why would anyone choose the private ones? We say first to fix the basics while we see public education being degraded”.