“SYRIZA-PS has a completely costed program which has apparently disturbed the Mitsotakis government,” said the party’s press representative, Voula Kehagia, on the Nautemboriki television channel, commenting that “Mr. Mitsotakis, precisely because he himself finds the proposals of SYRIZA attractive, considers that they will be compared to the program followed by the ND government in relation to its tax policy and the weakness of facing accuracy”.

He said that the non-reduction of indirect taxes “is a perception, it is a choice” of the government and that SYRIZA proposes to reduce indirect taxes, zero VAT on basic consumption items for 6 or possibly for another 6 months. “Mr. Hatzidakis says “I will keep indirect taxes high and I want to limit consumption”. What else are we going to hear?”, he commented, arguing that “Mr. Mitsotakis coming, as well as his ministers and New Democracy officials and saying that SYRIZA will lead the country to bankruptcy, is completely dangerous behavior”. “The faction that led the country to bankruptcy was the faction of New Democracy, of Mr. Mitsotakis,” he stressed.

Asked about the government’s claims about it at the cost of SYRIZA’s proposals, like o zeroing and the reduction of VAT that SYRIZA proposes, but also where this money will be found, the lady. Kehagia commented that “of course an answer has been given, maybe Mr. Patelis doesn’t want to hear the answer”. “The answer is the taxation of surplus revenues from refineries, from the surplus profits of banks, at a rate of 90%, and from the energy companies. We have said this, and the benefit, the one that will come to the public coffers, from the taxation of these super profits is about 3.5 billion euros”, he said. He added that the SYRIZA program according to the GLK, “which refuted the government of Mr. Patelis, says that the fiscal cost is 2.7 billion euros. So, there is also money that can be allocated for other purposes.” He added that “there are also some measures that will be taken progressively” citing for example the following: “if the SYRIZA-PS law proposal were started and implemented from now, from 2024, we would have zero VAT on basic products, but the reduction of VAT, which affects all incomes horizontally, from 24 to 21% – as is the average in the Eurozone – would be implemented as a measure in 2025. Which means that then zero VAT on basic necessities would also have been withdrawn until we overcome judgment with precision”.

Regarding with the European elections he reiterated that the goal is the best possible result, that the evaluation of the results, for all parties, will be combined and that of course, each party also sees those of its own house. “We have set as our goal a good election result at the ballot box on June 9, which, as the president of SYRIZA-PS also says, would be to see both of them ahead. We believe that this goal is achievable and in case we have a good percentage, from 17% to 20%, I hope it is even higher – I am talking based on the opinion polls and the dynamics that SYRIZA is showing at the moment,” he said.

Regarding whether after the European elections SYRIZA should join discussion with the wider forces of the centre-left, he said that “we are not looking at the next day, we are looking at how to get the best possible election result”. He added that “already, however, Mr. Kasselakis has said that initiatives will be undertaken so that all those who want and desire it, and not at the level of leadership, can come, rally and align themselves with SYRIZA”. “There should be a discussion with PASOK officials who want to follow SYRIZA, but to be integrated into it, not to be a follow-up to SYRIZA, without applying party yearbooks. To join, but with equal participation, not like the “foreigners” who came to SYRIZA, but they will join and have an equal treatment, as equal members, as equal executives,” he said. He said that “SYRIZA can be the pillar, the basis to create the great democratic and progressive faction that will express the area of ​​the Center-Left”.