The parliamentary representative of PASOK-Movement for Change, Michalis Katrinis, referred to the passing of the state budget for 2024.

Speaking to Real fm, he emphasized that the magical numbers mentioned yesterday by the prime minister and the finance minister have nothing to do with the everyday life of Greek citizens.

In food, inflation has escaped the European average, “red” loans and private debt have multiplied, while the government is a spectator of the precision that is pouring into food, telecommunications, energy, fuel, rents and in every sector of the economy.

The government insists on high VAT, paid by the middle class and our economically weaker fellow citizens, in order to collect excess revenue and distribute so-called benefits, which it had denounced as opposition.

The government talks about growth, but the Bank of Greece tells us that foreign direct investment has fallen by 39%, exports will fall by the end of 2023 and the trade deficit is 26 billion.

Let me remind you that the deficit in the balance during the government of Mr. Karamanlis was one of the two reasons that we entered into the memorandums and not because of PASOK, as Mr. Mitsotakis unfortunately said yesterday, apparently for reasons of balance within the New Democracy.

The budget numbers are fictitious and not at all pleasing for Greek citizens in key areas such as education, health and social security.

PASOK has submitted its own costed proposals on the issue of taxation. Especially for the low pensioners, who receive 300 euros per month, we have been suggesting for two years that they should take the EKAS.

If the prime minister did not make tax breaks on the very large real estate and if our country did not pay a fine of 500 million for incomplete controls at customs, the 650 million could go to 350,000 low-income pensioners through the EKAS, which was established by PASOK, abolished by SYRIZA and the New Democracy does not bring it back.

Referring to the bill for private universities that the prime minister will introduce within the first month of 2024, the Ilias MP emphasized:

PASOK has clearly said that the priority is to protect and strengthen the public university, which is a key pillar of education in the country.

Of course, we constantly hear announcements about non-state universities. From our side we are not dogmatic, but we have not seen any specific provision from the government to evaluate it.

The government will first have to prove that it wants to reform primary and secondary education, while the PISA report states that Greek school graduates in skills are at the bottom of 80 OECD countries

But there should be a national dialogue and consensus, because education is proving to be the country’s great “patient”.

Regarding the provision brought by the government on immigration, Michalis Katrinis said:

PASOK will vote on the amendment. It is a correct arrangement that provides a solution to an existing problem, such as the lack of land workers and catering workers, mainly in the countryside.

However, the services that issue residence permits should be strengthened and properly organized, which are understaffed, as a result of which these procedures are greatly delayed.