PASOK-KINAL’s parliamentary representative Michalis Katrinis harshly criticized the government, accusing it that the budget for which he is calling on all parties to vote suffers in terms of credibility and responsibility.

“It is an unfair, anti-development and unreliable new budget. It is based on unwarranted certainties, which are contrary, however, both to the uncertain and unstable international environment and to the problems that are swelling and dissolving social cohesion”, emphasized Mr. Katrinis during the last day of the budget debate in the Plenary of the Parliament.

Mr. Katrinis spoke of a “hidden agenda of the government” and emphasized the measures for freelancers which, he said, lead to their complete disappearance.

“The imposition of horizontal measures on freelancers is a confession of the ND’s failure to limit tax evasion thus denying the pre-election commitment of the Prime Minister himself that he will not impose any new tax,” he said and added.

“It is a socially unfair budget as the tax revenue relies on indirect taxes that hit the middle class and the economically weaker while avoiding taxing the super profits of the banks that are inflated by high interest rates and unacceptable fees.

What he seeks is to create a national economy without small businesses that he has cut off from liquidity and cheap loans.”

Mr. Katrinis rejected the government’s claims of a positive sign in the economy. He emphasized “the government’s laudatory claims”, as he characterized them, about the country’s positive development perspective, accusing it of alchemy and an attempt to deceive the Greek people.

“What economic achievements is the government talking about when: Foreign direct investment was minus 39% by October compared to 2022. The trade deficit was 26 billion while exports will close in the negative. And we at PASOK-KINAL are not saying this, the figures of the Bank of Greece are saying it,” he said characteristically and added: “In the administration of justice, we are in the 14th ranking of the world bank. In freedom of the press we are last in the EU. In human freedom Greece is penultimate and only above Hungary. 78% of entrepreneurs see corruption as an obstacle. The European Audit Mechanism reports that 40% of projects are awarded through direct commissions and photo competitions. So what great achievements is the government talking about? For what no one believes?’