Chr. Staikouras: Not a single measure of austerity – Greater reductions in taxes and insurance contributions

SYRIZA fell out of everything it estimated, said the Minister of Finance, Christos Staikouras, who rose to the podium of the Finance Committee of the Parliament, during the discussion of the 2022 budget.

SYRIZA’s rapporteur, Efi Ahtsioglou, had preceded the podium, describing the support package for workers, households and businesses as criminally insufficient, at a time when society is suffering from the crisis and the accuracy that is out of control. Respectively, he denounced the reductions in health expenditures and the reduction in social expenditures.

“What you said, if true, would be confirmed by the padlocks in business, would be confirmed by the rise in unemployment, would be confirmed by the non-achievement of fiscal targets. You fell out of everything you valued a year ago, from this step here.” , said the Minister of Finance, addressing SYRIZA and remarked that he reserves the right to submit to the plenary a file of 150 pages with everything that SYRIZA has assessed. Mr. Staikouras invited Ms. Ahtsioglou to read the report of GSEVEE, according to which the government packages saved businesses and employment.

However, the Minister of Finance also reserved a comment on the “fully costed program of SYRIZA”: “Since September, the entire leadership of the Ministry of Finance is looking for the cost, you never told us! We are asking for a number! A number! How much is it? 1 billion “, 5 billion; 14 billion; 15 billion; I have been looking for a statement from Ms. Ahtsioglou, Mr. Tsakalotos since September, how much does the SYRIZA program cost. Otherwise, your program is fully costed”.

But also in the official opposition’s complaint about a policy that equates to a transition to austerity, the Minister of Finance hastened to comment: “Where did you see austerity? We reduce taxes, you increase taxes. We maintain aid to society and strengthen it, and “Are you talking about austerity? You have confused the words. The 2022 budget does not have a single measure of austerity. On the contrary, it has even greater reductions in taxes and insurance contributions.”

Earlier, SYRIZA rapporteur Efi Ahtsioglu accused the government of insisting on not taking adequate measures to support society, of reducing health spending and of continuing to provide support to households and businesses, but also of not providing support for the unemployed.

“You cut the permanent 13th pension, amounting to 900 million that SYRIZA had established in 2019 and would be received by retirees for the 4th time next spring, you cut it in the name of increases that would supposedly be included in pensions, for those over 35 years old “These increases have not taken place. People have lost an extra pension they would have received all these years, and yesterday Mr Mitsotakis came to announce a € 250 bonus to low-income retirees, after cutting $ 900 million on a permanent basis. “You are! You serve this type of politics”, said Efi Ahtsioglou.

SOURCE: AMPE