Tax reform, in the context of which will be given a “very high emphasis” on addressing Greece’s demographic problem, the government is preparing, as he announced last night, from Thessaloniki, by Thessaloniki. Minister of National Economy and Finance, Kyriakos Pierrakakisduring his conversation with Young businessmen, in Alexandria Innovation Zone (AZK SA).
Indeed, he referred to today’s announcements by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the occasion of the 89th TIF: “We are half births from those who were before the crisis (…) We will make a tax reform that will give a great deal of emphasis on this problem … Staff, I would tell you that what I put first (…) is the demographic and the change of how we are taxing in Greece, “Mr. Pierrakakis announced.
Responding to relevant questions and requests from the three businessmen with whom he talked, as well as other members of the audience, the minister also acknowledged the need to reduce the taxation and deduction of other financial burdens from businesses, as well as the problem that is the obligation to pay taxes. He pointed out, however, the need to prioritize objectives, as well as the restrictions under the Community regulations, for example, to expand favorable measures to specific geographical areas.
“Greece is a country that now has a surplus. In the EU of 27, six (…) have a surplus (…) this should not be spoiled. We have a specific (budgetary) space as to what we can spend each year, regardless of whether we have a surplus (…) (demands to reduce tax or tax advance) are part of what we generally look at, when rates of freedom are created in the budget. “
Commenting on the placement of a businessman on the panel, that he returned to Greece, thanks to the motives given in this direction, Mr. Pierrakakis referred to Brain Gain of recent years: “If one sees the numbers, especially in recent years, those who have returned. And this is the first time for the first time in these numbers, “he noted and recalled Tom Friedman’s article in the New York Times, who, when Greece was entering the first memorandum, wrote that he would not look at the financial figures, but what the Greeks are doing. And he concluded, if you see them leaving (from the country), Pula. If you see them staying and some come, start buying Greek bonds. What is practically happening since the years of Covid onwards is that most are coming -and motivations play a role, ”he said, adding that many positives have been made, which must continue.
Why the most political game is Tetris
In fact, for the latter, he reduced to two popular games: “I had a professor in America who told us that the most political game is Tetris. And his fundamental lesson is that successes disappear and mistakes accumulate (…) people hold the failures and pending (…) If you put the right software in the country, that is, the right rules, the right tax levels and stops you can change the same thing, you can change the same thing. I think we see this in recent years. The point is to keep seeing it, because after Tetris we should not go to Jenga, that is, we should not take out the wrong cubes and collapse the whole building. We have to continue to do the same thing steadily, improving ourselves, ”he said.
He added that they have more or less improved all those that have led the country to fall for ten years. Clearlyhe added, the differentiation to be done now is “not to pass the account” for the failures of previous generations to the next generation.
He added that in recent years a very difficult equation had to be tackled, since while the country was under bankruptcy, it had to get out of it and launch the re -planning of the state. “I can talk about hundreds of things we have made in recent years. Which we reduced 72 taxes. We have created the 50% (income tax reduction for seven years for those who have been working abroad for at least five years). Which reduced contributions. Which 2500 services are on gov.gr. There are so many others, of course, and must come in. Our job here is to make them. There is no magic wand, ”he noted.
Eternal students, not eternal students
He pointed out that the culture around entrepreneurship and failure in Greece has changed in relation to the pre -crisis period, thanks to the resources available to Startups via funds like Jeremie and Equifund, While referring to education, he said that the logic of one degree has died. As he said, when life expectancy is constantly growing and a child born today is very likely to exceed 100, as well as taking into account the exponential speed of technological change, this child should renew his / her skills throughout his life.
“All states must design education systems, from the first elementary to the third high school for a world that still does not exist (…) We must all be able to get the culture that we will be lifelong students. To paraphrase the well -known phrase, we do not want eternal students, we want eternal students who will learn throughout their lives, ”he said, while recalling that in a few weeks it is expected to pass a law, under which professional schools for specific subjects will be able to do so.
Referring to what the government has achieved, he said that the debt problem, deficit and bankruptcy regime has been resolved and that it will only arise again if huge mistakes are made again. What has not yet changed entirely, he said, is the economic model that put Greece in the crisis, but that is also changing. “We are in the middle of a route,” he said and reiterated the evidence showing progress at the level of investment and exports.
The discussion with the minister was attended by Michalis Venieris, a businessman, economist and economic analyst, who returned to Greece from abroad, Angelina Bidoudi, co-founder and CEO of Optimems, innovative company- Technovlastos and Institute of Institutes and Institute
The discussion was opened by the President of AZK SA, Dr. Panagiotis Ketikidis, who referred to the hundreds of actions implemented by the body in the period 2023-2025, but also to the planning to create the Thessaloniki InnoFood Hub in the field of agri-food, 60 acres.