Th. Skylakakis for increased energy prices: It is our obligation to help society

It is our obligation to help the society, stressed the Deputy Minister of Finance, Th. European directives.

Referring to the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the rise in energy prices, Mr. Skylakakis said that we are living, literally, in an era of “paradigm shift”, which requires prudence, logic and realism: It is our duty to “We will help society, and we will inevitably use budgetary tools:” There is no other way, “said Mr Skylakakis.

The Deputy Minister of Finance warned that the course ahead of us will not be easy. Changing the example and rapidly decoupling from Russian gas means higher energy prices in the coming years. This is the reality for Europe, Mr. Skylakakis observed. As he put it, “we did not choose it. We did not choose to wage a heinous war. We did not choose to attack the liberal democracies or threaten them with nuclear weapons. We must adapt to this new reality.” He also noted that “the key to adapting” is to grow faster than expected. “This will be the solution in the coming years to meet the social and fiscal needs, the needs of a people who have entrusted us with their fortunes,” he stressed.

Responding to the parliamentary representative of SYRIZA Euclides Tsakalotos, who raised the issue of taxation of the super profits of energy companies, Mr. Skylakakis said that in the coming days “we will discuss in Parliament how to tax profits. One company, one day “We will find out and tax them, and we are committed as a government that we will return the last euro of super-profits to the consumer.”

Earlier, Mr. Tsakalotos had also said that the government’s request for patience should be addressed to the citizens who can not afford the energy costs and to the professionals who close their businesses because they can not pay the bills. He criticized the government for its stance on the “skyrocketing” profit, saying it was not “heart surgery” and “if the government wants, send some students to help”.

It is logical that the citizens who are affected by the electricity can not be patient, Mr. Skylakakis replied, saying that, for this reason, the government will intervene significantly. We will see in the next period. We are waiting to see the developments in Europe, and the intervention will take place, and obviously it will have a financial footprint. Regarding the calculation of super profits, he said that it is not a student job. I do not know if you gave Mr. Tsipras students to do his calculations, said the minister, noting that this job is quite difficult. He even expressed the assessment that RAE will carry it out quickly, efficiently and transparently.

SOURCE: AMPE