He described it as the biggest problem facing the country as well as Europe food inflation the government representative Pavlos Marinakis. “…The biggest problem facing Greece and the rest of Europe. Because if you look at the Eurostat table that was also published in many media this week, there is a persistent inflation – in our country it is about 10 points below, cumulatively, the general and food inflation is a little below the European average levels – . This means that it is the biggest problem that our country is also facing”, he said precisely government representative, Pavlos Marinakisin an interview with Mega.

The government representative, on cumulative food inflation since the phenomenon began until today, noted that we are at the European average and the problem is certainly greater for us because we have many more kilometers to travel.

“We have made significant strides to close the disposable income gap. We do not embellish situations for this and tell the truth to the world. Dealing with accuracy is not done with magic recipes. There isn’t a button, you push it and it’s solved. Let’s say that – in Greece we have not yet appreciated these magic recipes of the Opposition – some other country in Europe would have adopted them, implemented them, the other countries would also take them and solve the problem of accuracy”, he added.

He also mentioned that the letter from the Prime Minister to the President of the Commission it is not the first action taken by our country to deal with accuracy and that Kyriakos Mitsotakis is the first party leader in our country and the first European leader who, with specific documentation and argumentation, poses the problem at this level.

“And why does he choose this timing? Because we have European elections and in a few months a new 5-year cycle begins in Europe. We are making this move now because we want to hold European elections, not with toxic elements of internal confrontation, but with a specific European agenda. One of the biggest problems facing citizens in Europe and Greece – for this and in his letter the Prime Minister describes specific cases of other countries as well – is accuracy. Therefore, he puts on the table proposals with specific documentation, justification. It describes steps that must be followed both at a legislative and interventional level in Europe and, of course, it raises the issue at another level, at the level of Europe. Is it the first action? No. We move on three axes. First and foremost axis: Increase of incomes. The Opposition discovered America, that our country has a question of disposable income. A country that was financially devastated by a multi-year crisis,” he added.

For criticizing the opposition for the price of the slice he said: “It is a product that is one of the easiest cases to understand the political deception of SYRIZA. We apologize as a Government, this is what governments do, because it is a given that in recent years for the first time we have come out of the basement of continuous degradation and reduction and recession and we have now started talking about increasing incomes, increasing disposable income. Greece is a champion country in the growth rate of per capita income”.

And he underlined: “A country that when in 2015-2019 in Europe it was raining growth, we held an umbrella and had a borderline recession. And now we have a 20% increase in the average salary, it was under 1,100, a little over 1,000, it has gone to 1,200, it is close to 1,300. Obviously the benefits are not captured as much as they should be due to accuracy. But we have an increase in disposable income and in fact the GDP per capita index, which also includes inflation, in this index Greece has twice the rate of growth than Europe.”

Mr. Marinakis reminded that there have been 44,000 checks and fines amounting to almost 20 million euros in a country where there wasn’t even a checking service and every year we had reports of virtual discounts.

Responding to the opposition’s criticism of the oil price stated: “Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty to understand what a political crook means. I had to make a video last night. We don’t usually respond with videos to Mr. Kasselakis, but not everything is the same. The Prime Minister went to Parliament. Not to show that we are not accurate but to show that what the Opposition says that we are more expensive in everything is not accurate and among other things he brought the example of the slice. There he had an official document from IELKA, which, among other products, compared the same products with the same quantity, between European states. One of the examples used by the Opposition was feta. If you see this document, it says “slice, 500g package.” for all countries. The political fraudster is the one who compares, as another did, Mr. Kasselakis, with olive oil, products of different quantity or quality. The Prime Minister compared the same product, the same quantity and in fact in his speech he did not say a slice per kilo. He never said it. At this point it appeared that our country is not the most expensive country in this particular product. And what did SYRIZA do? Instead of bringing another argument, to make a specific proposal….”

Mr. Marinakis also said that the reduced price is one of the extraordinary interventions that was implemented.

“The Opposition thought it was doing nothing. Obviously, no measure alone solves the problem, but it also contributed. We will be processed by the Ministry of Development. As the Household Basket was extended several times, the extension of this measure will also be considered. It is in the third pillar of the interventions, which are the emergency measures and when there is something from the relevant ministry it will be announced.”

He also mentioned that it is interesting the proposal of ND MP Mr. Boukorou to have both the producer’s price and the selling price on the shelf. “It is not an intervention to lower prices. But it has done with the accountability and accurate picture that consumers should have. And it is in the logic of e-katanalotis.gov.gr. This tool does not drop prices, however, consumers can compare prices between 3,000 codes and growing. Now comparing cart. And here what is the irony from the Opposition, which is also false? That we will take the products one by one and go around the supermarkets to compare them. Lies. Because it gives you the possibility to put everything in a basket and e-katanalotis will tell you which supermarket near your home you will get it cheaper. These are tools that help to have competition and for consumers to know who has the cheapest…”, he added.

Asked why the government excludes the opposition’s proposals for a reduction in VAT and a tax on surplus profits, he noted: “Because utopia is good for the Opposition, bad for the citizens. Correct and useful for all of us is reality. Before I say what the Opposition says, let us say that the Government that has reduced or abolished taxes in this country, for the last many years, is the Mitsotakis Government. He reduced or abolished more than 50 taxes in the first four years and continues to do so in the second. Increase of tax-free by 1,000 euros, permanence of temporarily reduced VAT”.

At the same time, he reminded that the government taxed the surplus profits and gave this directly to the people, in the electricity prices, while regarding the measures of SYRIZA he said that according to the official costing, it is – in the four years 45.4 billion.

He then referred in detail to the cost of the measures proposed by the opposition officer and emphasized: “Based on real data, with the country’s Budget, with what we can give and we have to face a utopia, a “monopoly” that plays with money of citizens, without existing, we must deconstruct this. Because that way you can’t have a conversation. When I say, representing the Government, that we can give these things to the citizens, because they exist and someone else comes and says 10 times and 20 times, I must be able to show that he is a political fraud. 5% of the GDP for health, that is, beyond these 45, is 11 billion a year. Oh, another 44 billion. The 13th and 14th salary, which is not in them, is another 2.2 billion a year.

Therefore: When we ask about the proposals of the Opposition, since they are not costed by it and when they are costed it seems that they are going to make fun of the citizens, it has no value for the people. What we give, we can give. What we say we will give is guaranteed and priced. We know that more must be given…”

For election result of the European elections, the government representative stated that the government has every reason to be optimistic. “Because realizing the many difficulties that citizens still face, after the years that have passed, when a government that did the opposite of what it had ordered – and it appeared that all this maximalism does not correspond to reality – was compared to a government, which in many difficulties had a measurable result, now reality can be a criterion, perhaps the first, we hope the first criterion, for the citizens’ vote. This percentage that we are asking for, this support that we are asking for, is important for two reasons. One is the European dimension, which we don’t discuss at all, unfortunately. We are forced to respond to whatever is put to us. And the other is stability. In other words, going to the European elections, even in these two weeks, regardless of what the Opposition wants us to discuss – because it might not be convenient for them – we must talk about Europe. What are the issues that New Democracy, and hopefully the other parties, are raising for Europe. Let’s talk about the Defense Pact, about the Recovery Fund, let’s talk about immigration,” he noted.

Mr. Marinakis was also appointed about Stefanos Kasselakis’ trip to the Middle East: “Very quickly three points. The first has to do with the diplomatic – foreign policy – dimension of the specific visit. There is no precedent for a diplomatic visit to the wider region that does not include a visit to Israel. Here, let’s not forget, that we are the ones who insist and talk about a cease-fire and that there should be passageways, to support the civilians and to protect the civilians in Palestine as well. Let’s not forget here that all this started from the terrorist Hamas. Another thing that Mr. Kasselakis says is that it is not exactly and completely terrorist. And there people were killed who were civilians and there were hostages and there are and there is pain. We are obviously sending the wrong message with what we are doing. The Greek position is a balanced position, it is a fair position in favor of the defender and at the same time with a clear cease-fire message. Well, one has to do with the fact that someone who practices politics only with selfies and videos, which are fine, as long as they are accompanied by content, can be pleasant. But when this goes to the level of foreign policy, it is dangerous. The second thing I want to say is that it is another case where it seems that the firm belief of SYRIZA and personally of its Leader is that everything is a decoration for communication. So, accuracy, big problem? Very big problem. Let’s make a video to communicate, even by misleading the citizens”.

For he noted the videos that ND also makes: “We respond with video, with data. I told you, videos are good, as long as they have real content. Tempe, tragic accident? Let’s decorate the names of the dead in our offices, to campaign or go take pictures with relatives, people in pain.

The third, because we always have to say what he will pursue. Painful people in Palestine, who all they want is for this whole drama, this whole tragedy, to end, to have Kasselakis wanting to campaign on their backs.”