G. Economou: European leaders to realize that a substantial response to price increases is needed

The government has in recent months implemented a plan approaching 4 billion euros, in order to mitigate the severe impact of price increases on people’s lives, said government spokesman Giannis Economou speaking to r / s “Parapolitika 90.1 fm”.

He stressed that the government has as a basic principle to support the most vulnerable as much as possible, to continue the horizontal support for electricity, to support people for fuel price increases, to provide further facilities, extensions, in terms of the return of repayable advances . He also referred to the reduction of taxes and policies that improve income, the new increase in the minimum wage in May and at the same time the initiatives of the Prime Minister at European level.

“It would be a huge mistake if the European leaderships did not realize how necessary, how necessary it is for European societies, to have a meaningful response and intervention in a phenomenon that acquires historical dimensions and the consequences will not be only economic,” he said. Mr. Oikonomou noted that “this will possibly cause chain reactions in terms of the political behavior of European citizens and bring us back to logics of anti-systemic behavior, to logics of populism, which will cost a lot in Europe.”

“The crisis is exogenous, it is not endogenous. It is exogenous, not only in terms of the country, it is exogenous in terms of Europe. Along with the initiatives and mobility that we are developing at European level, we are taking initiatives at national level. “Obviously, the size of the problem is very large and the possibilities we have are not limitless. We have to tell the world, honestly,” he added.

In addition, the government spokesman accused the official opposition of propaganda and myth-making. Referring to the management of taxes, he said that there are seven or eight European countries that have reduced VAT or even the Excise Tax but have completely different dependence in terms of state revenues from indirect and direct taxes. “In any case, however, the final result to the consumer does not seem to be much different from what it has in terms of our country,” he continued, emphasizing that Greece, from much earlier, more substantial, more efficient and with larger size and perimeter, has taken steps to curb price increases as much as possible.

“A very large part of public revenue is the revenue we get from these taxes. This revenue finances the welfare state, health, education, security and it is not easy to replace it, so as not to derail public finances and You’s still supporting the welfare state, this government does not have the logic to add tax burdens, on the contrary, even in this storm, it continues to drive taxes from the backs of Greek citizens on a permanent basis. “Now an equation: On the one hand, to stand by the people effectively, in a targeted, effective manner, and on the other hand, not to blow up public finances,” he stressed.

Regarding the allegations of notoriety, he clarified that the government has legislated the “cutter” in profits very recently and has tools, mechanisms of the state that make controls, such as DIMEA.

“It will make announcements in the near future so that people know what tests have been done and what results they have brought. in September 2021 and, accordingly, the Energy Regulatory Authority and the other Authorities responsible for controlling specific markets will obviously investigate whether “At the time, there were super-profits, conditions of not-for-profit, which we will see how to deal with,” he added.

It was also completely hypocritical to claim that the government was covering up the scandal, firstly because there is obvious absurdity and secondly because it was the Prime Minister who raised the issue of the distorted functioning of the market at international level, at European level.

“From there we have to start to be able to put a stop to this kind of unfair commercial practice, which distorts the proper functioning of the market, to go down and at home. What people need to know is that obviously the competent and in charge Authorities, observe the fluctuation of prices, the economic figures, the behavior of all those involved in the specific markets and with the tools we have in our hands and with the given will – after all the Prime Minister himself, I repeat, was the first to speak “and at international and European level, not only in Greek – the interventions that need to be made will be made”, he added.

Regarding the pandemic, the government spokesman said that it is not over but it has changed characteristically. “The pandemic has been going on for a long time and many people are still getting sick and sick – much milder, fortunately, without an increase in hospitalizations compared to the past. This leads us to remain vigilant and urge everyone to get vaccinated. “As for concrete measures, let us be a little patient, let the committee of experts see how it will weigh the data and the magnitudes of the pandemic,” he said.

Mr. Economou stressed that the intention of the government is to get closer and closer to normalcy everywhere. “Let us not put obstacles in the way of the operation of the market or the movement of people, especially those who are vaccinated and who are also shielded. All this is connected with a number of other sub-data, such as the increase of cases. It must be taken into account before making other decisions, it must clearly take into account that we are going to spring, so the temperatures and the wider environment will help you to go for a greater release-relaxation. “Let’s go step by step to weigh the data, follow the instructions of those who can scientifically analyze and evaluate the situation better, and we will make the right announcements at the right time,” he said.

For Greek-Turkish, Mr. Economou described as a positive development that Turkey embraces the unanimous condemnation of any form of revisionism or expansionism, any form of violation of international law and the borders of independent states. “Her talks with the whole western world are a development that you do not call negative. In this context, the meeting of the Greek Prime Minister with the Turkish President took place in a good atmosphere, without anyone moving from their positions, but with “Tons that had nothing to do with the sharpness that the Turkish side had become accustomed to in the past. That does not mean we have solved the problems,” he said.

On energy, he said there had been no concrete development, noting that the issue of less and less dependence on Russian gas or the issue of how to boost our energy self-sufficiency in all European and regional countries is a debate. which, obviously, concerns everyone. “We are not now at a point where one can say specific things or that specific discussions have begun, which will put in the framework a scheme of cooperation or some concrete steps in that direction. No such discussion took place and no specifics were specified. “steps in that direction,” he said.

In addition, he stated that the elections will take place at the end of four years. “We have confidence in the memory of the people, who can compare how the prime minister and the government manage the successive crises and how they brought the country to the brink of another situation in the past. And based on that, when it is called to make decisions “It will take them in such a way that the country continues to have a stable and effective leadership, the importance of which is highlighted in the very restless and unstable international environment in which we live,” he stressed.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ