Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis spoke to SKAI and the show “Today” about the interventions in the banks, why they didn’t happen earlier, the fire from the opposition, the announcements on social media that are expected today from the prime minister and also the Spartan bloc .

“We have revenue without overtaxing the citizens”

Initially, Mr. Marinakis began by saying: “The opposition accused us that we collect more as a state from taxes and in fact they consciously falsely told us that we do it due to overtaxation. When we come and tell them that this money is from reducing unemployment, tackling tax evasion and from the fact that Greece has increased its GDP. We get more revenue without overtaxing the citizens and with this money, which the opposition does not like, we gradually respond to the needs of the citizens. For example, those in uniform with the hazard allowance. It’s one more salary per year. Pensioners, who have fair requests, such as exemption from pharmaceutical expenses. Thirdly, the doctors, the new independent taxation of emergency rooms. Farmers, permanent excise duty refund mechanism. What is collected must be given fairly.”

For the banks: “The government moved from words to actions”

Regarding the measures taken by the government for the banks and the accusations of the opposition, Mr. Marinakis said: “Let me remind you how the opposition initially proposed the taxation of banks. He started it from 800 million. euro and as the days passed they reduced it and reached somewhere around 200 million. This did not solve any problems because the official opposition was saying “I will tax the banks and from this money I will give money somewhere”. This would not result in the relief of the citizens. With PASOK we went from a toxic populism to a serious populism. We give specific answers to the reasonable, fair requests of the citizens. One request was the fees, we are zeroing them in terms of DEKOs and taking them to 50 minutes for remittances up to 5,000 euros. Is it the only request? No. Another issue to think about is mortgage. There, we give the banks one year to release real estate and then double ENFIA from 2026. Another big need is our schools. We have already announced a program of 250 million euros, the “Marietta Giannakou”, to be renovated by the municipalities in partnership with the public. We tell the banks, another 100 million. euro.

It matters what we say, to prove it. I have the honor to represent a government and a prime minister who went from words, banners, marches, to deeds. How many years have you heard the Left and the Center-Left saying “no house in the hands of a banker, we will tax the great wealth, we will take it from the big and give it to the little”. Name me another Prime Minister, who has first taxed the excess profits of the refineries, has taxed the energy companies to give the citizens (money) because of excessive increases and name me another government that has taken these measures for the banks. When reality is compared with someone’s theory and dreams, reality hardly wins in words. All that I am telling you has happened in a country that has had enough of words.”

Why were the measures not taken earlier for the banks?

When asked why these measures were not taken earlier and if the stability of the banks would be threatened if they were taken two years ago, for example, Mr. Marinakis replied:nobody wants the banks to get back to where they were a few years ago. Whoever seeks to punish a business, punish the profit and not the unwarranted or the product of obscene profit. Anyone seeking to shut down a business has no place in the government’s logic. We do not believe in retaliatory measures. We believe in reducing taxes for everyonewe want the economy to breathe. So no, it is not the government’s purpose in itself to tax or penalize banks, when but he sees that something is getting out of hand, then he intervenes in favor of the citizens. As he did in energy and banks.”

For the red loans, he emphasized that “we have reduced them to a very large percentage. From 92 to 70 billion”. He also referred to the interventions for IRIS that the government has also made.

“The opposition proposed measures for the banks that are not allowed by the ECB”

Then, Mr. Marinakis returned to the topic of sentences her oppositionsaying that “within the amendment, they also proposed something that is not allowed by the European Central Bank. PASOK, on ​​the other hand, on loan interest rates, something that is prohibited and threw us out. SYRIZA said that the government should intervene in the interest rates. Banned by the ECB, no government is allowed to intervene in interest rates.’

Announcements from Mitsotakis about social media and minors

For the social media and the minors and today’s expected announcements, the government representative said: “here the problem must be seen as a whole. These are not the first initiatives to be announced today. Juvenile violence, internet addiction, these are all interconnected vessels. What we need to see is the dimension of the state, the dimension of the platforms and the dimension of the family.

We do not want to announce a measure that will be a firework. The prime minister will participate in a meeting with the minister. of Digital Governance, will listen and make announcements. We will move on two levels. A broad strategy. One is about what they can do parentsto they know the tools they have in their handslet’s do an information campaign and the prime minister will say other interesting things. But don’t expect this government to makes decisions above the bar of reality».

“Since the day PASOK submitted a proposal for the Spartans, they have not received a single euro”

Finally, for them Spartans and the block in the funding of the party Mr. Marinakis replied: “since the day PASOK tabled this proposal, until today and until the vote in Parliament to implement what will be voted today, the Spartans have not received a single euro. Our amendment is tied and can legally stand without problems.”