‘Against’ KINAL – Staikoura in Parliament on the occasion of accuracy

A fierce confrontation took place in Parliament between the Minister of Finance, Christos Staikouras, and the leaders of the KINAL parliamentary group, Michalis Katrini and Nadias Giannakopoulou, on the occasion of a question question submitted by their party about the accuracy and infamy.

Mr. Staikouras accused KINAL of populism and stressed that he systematically avoids costing his proposals, because what he says is unrealistic. At the same time, he left open the possibility of reducing VAT on food, stressing that everything is being considered and nothing has been ruled out, based on priorities, needs and fiscal discipline.

“We will take other measures, but there are no money trees in Greece,” said Mr. Staikouras.

For their part, both the chairman of the KINAL parliamentary group, Michalis Katrinis, and the party’s parliamentary representative, N. Giannakopoulou, accused the government of ineffective, failed, dead-end and ideological policies, while speaking of their falsification and selective presence. financial data in order to improve the situation.

“The government is in a big storm and turmoil, to make a gross distortion of the reality that the Greek is experiencing and to falsify the data. You make a selective presentation of data to say your poem, with the motto of your complacency, that ‘all is well we do, everything is perfect ‘”, the parliamentary representative of KINAL, Nadia Giannakopoulou, stated characteristically and added:

“You have accused us of taking risks, and popularizing them. But the beautification of the situation has a limit. Is the tsunami of accuracy a danger? Is it populism? That the low social strata are mainly affected by energy accuracy?”

Commenting on the accusations of the three government ministers who responded to KINAL’s question, that the proposal to reduce VAT on food is unrealistic and unrealistic, Ms. Giannakopoulou countered:

“Do you not consult with the Deputy Minister of Finance, Theodoros Skylakakis, whether the excise tax is fair or unfair? From what he said, it shows that the reason why you do not reduce it is ideological. Mr. Skylakakis says that the tax is fair because it concerns the rich “We ask if this is the reason why you are not reducing it, or if the reasons as you say are fiscal.”

“We as KINAL – continued Ms. Giannakopoulou – are in favor of the reduction, and we do not say it for communication reasons. We make specific proposals and our concern is how to become more useful in society, and not to resort to beautifications and half measures. “We have put in place a comprehensive package of measures to address the problems.”

Commenting on the attack of the Minister of Development, Adonis Georgiadis, on the president of KINAL, Nikos Androulakis, Ms. Giannakopoulou accused him of “indulging in a crescent of providing data that does not correspond to reality”.

He blamed Mr. Androulakis because, as he said, he was praising Portugal but not Greece, which managed to have a lower inflation rate. In what month is Mr. Georgiadis? 2021. To better read Mr. Androulakis’s article, together with the proposals he made in detail, and not to accuse us of not having proposals.You do not have a program with substantial measures to support society for ideological reasons […] Is it your budget cost or your ideology that you are not implementing effective support measures? Will you answer with specific numbers and not with your buzzwords? Gone are the days when it was easy for you, because you had SYRIZA in front of you. “Inflation was at 5.5% in January and not at 1.2%”, he pointed out and added:

“You are using arguments to attack the president of KINAL, who comes to answer with evidence. Answer at the same level and not with buzzwords: The monthly inflation rate was 0.5% in Greece in January, when it was zero in Portugal.”

Ms. Giannakopoulou also spoke about Greece’s sad lead with 540% on energy prices and added that Eurostat data need answers. “He also attacked the Minister of Environment and Energy, Costas Skrekas, disputing the data he presented.

“The Greek pays the highest average price in the EU. We are talking about the cost of living in Luxembourg with salaries in the Balkans. The price of a megawatt has taken off. In Greece we have the most expensive wholesale price of gas in the EU. all you give are bonuses, which are necessary, but the country and the society need comprehensive support measures. You were satisfied with the bonus policy. “to provide answers to the critical key problems of the country. There is complete uncertainty and ambiguity about where the energy crisis is leading and where prices will reach,” said Ms. Giannakopoulou.

“We need brave measures without delay, with a comprehensive program. We have submitted it with full responsibility. Your argument is ‘where will we find the money’. You have the piggy bank, but you play with numbers and words and play society “.

Accuracy and inflation are not addressed by wish lists, bonuses and beautifications, nor by individual and piecemeal measures. Need targeted, immediate integrated measures Adopt the proposals we made to you. “Your embarrassing inaction is definitely not a solution,” Ms. Giannakopoulou concluded.

Chr. Staikouras: The populism and the danger of KINAL are proven

The reaction of the Minister of Finance, Christos Staikouras, was immediate, accusing KINAL of populism and unrealistic proposals.

“Again, you avoided costing because what you are saying is unrealistic. I did not hear anything about the costing of the measures. How much budgetary cost do you have to answer?”, Mr. Staikouras countered and added:

“The populism and the danger of KINAL are proving, in the face of a great intensity and extent of energy crisis, greater than the initial European estimates. You told us these are not enough. We will take other measures, but there are no money trees in Greece.”

“We are trying to deal with this difficult situation in the best possible way,” Staikouras continued. “There are no unlimited budget margins. You have also outgrown the permanent tax cuts.”

“We make insightful moves. These challenges are not easy. We try to face them with responsibility, prudence and determination. We evaluate everything. We have not ruled out anything. Everything just has to be taken into account. We have no embarrassment or panic, but excellent “We have calmly managed, because we have managed all the crises in an exceptional way and effectively. We are moving forward with method, wisdom, prudence and quick reflexes”, concluded Mr. Staikouras.

For his part, the chairman of the KINAL Parliamentary Group, Michalis Katrinis, in his deuterology rejected the accusations of the government staff “about not costing” the measures “, opposing that” the failed financial management of the government led to a deficit of 6%, which “Although it is presented as a” great success “, it does not allow any political movement in support of the people’s incomes”.

“Across Europe, while there is talk of further reducing VAT rates from the already reduced (4% to 6%) they have, in Greece, where VAT is 13%, the issue is not even being discussed,” he said. Mr. Katrinis.

He also blamed “the complete absence of government from the European fora for the need to change the terms of the Fiscal Stability and Growth Pact, which would allow smaller targets and therefore greater budgetary margin to support households and businesses in our country.”

“You are handcuffed. The biggest bomb in the Greek economy, what Greek society will remember about the New Democracy government from 2019 (and it is unknown until when), is that it left a bomb which when it explodes it will leave behind. “We will have many thousands of our fellow citizens who will not be able to buy basic foodstuffs, driven to the margins of society. This is the imprint left by your government,” concluded Mr. Katrinis.

Responding to Mr. Katrinis and his accusations “for the failed fiscal policy of the government”, Mr. Staikouras said characteristically:

“Yesterday the Budget said that we will reduce ENFIA by 70 million and we reduced it by 350 million. And we are handcuffed? Yesterday and today these data came out and it is reflected that, not only are we not handcuffed, but we ensure because of its good fiscal course country, fiscal space, to do, not temporary tax cuts you want, but permanent tax cuts we want, and we did it yesterday.

You say we are “handcuffed” when 70 becomes 350, that is, it actually becomes many times more, five million taxpayers will see a further reduction of ENFIA, especially in the lower and middle income classes “.

– continued Mr. Staikouras – we have a responsibility to have fiscal stability. And yes, we are also looking at reductions in VAT on food. We have examined everything. I have been saying for a month now, how much is the reduction in VAT on bread for example – not zero, but the reduction. I have also said, however, that in addition to the budgetary costs, we must be completely safe. “So everything is evaluated, but to the extent that there are budgetary possibilities.”

Finally, Mr. Staikouras emphasized the issue of deposits, emphasizing that “compared to November, in a period of 5% inflation, they are increased from 175 billion to 180 billion. They are increased every month. 52% are from households “.

“Our estimate is that we will have strong primary surpluses, which will come from the denominator, from high and sustainable growth. Depending on the goals we will reach, and we work to make the goals much lower, we will use the budget space for even more greater tax cuts and social policy towards vulnerable households, health and other sectors We will continue to pursue policies of economic efficiency and social reciprocity, always close to society, taking into account that we have a responsibility for today and tomorrow, for today and the next generations “, concluded Mr. Staikouras.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ