Three questions to PASOK The Undersecretary of State for the Prime Minister and a government spokesman Paul Marinakis, Responding to the statement by Harilaou Trikoupi’s spokesman Kostas Tsoukala On the occasion of Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ weekly review, he accused the government of “exchanging the financial bleeding of citizens with crumbs”,
In his statement, Mr. Marinakis He stressed that the government has made 72 reductions or abolitions of direct and indirect taxes since 2019, as in ENFIA, in tax Income and insurance contributions, while “not a single tax rate has increased”, with the sole exception of ENFIA for the closed real estate of banks, which will be implemented by 2026.
In response to criticism of increasing tax revenue, He noted that it is a natural result of the decline in unemployment, the growth of the economy and the fight against tax evasion. “Even a freshman knows how taxes can be reduced and increased revenue,” he added.
The government spokesman accused PASOK that, like SYRIZA, he is calling for additional support measures while at the same time denouncing the increase in revenue, asking “where will these measures be funded” and whether “Mr. Androulakis discovered the money”.
“The country has paid dearly for political weather experiments,” he said, adding that the government will continue to emphasize the middle class, reducing unemployment and permanent support of society.
In detail Pavlos Marinakis’ statement
From today’s statement by PASOK’s spokesman on the occasion of the prime minister’s weekly post, 3 reasonable questions arise:
First, does PASOK keep in mind a tax that the government has increased or is it consciously lied to the citizens?
The New Democracy government, from 2019 until today, has reduced or abolished 72 direct and indirect taxes. We are reminded, among other things, the significant reductions in ENFIA and income tax for households and businesses, the abolition of the solidarity levy for employees and business fees for freelancers, reductions by almost 6% on insurance contributions, reduced taxpayers for agricultural degree etc.
On the contrary, not a single tax rate has increased, with the exception of the increase in ENFIA by 2026 for the closed real estate of banks and funds in order to market them.
The government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis believes in reducing taxes and this will continue to do, as citizens are justified, with emphasis on the middle class.
Secondly, do PASOK understand the difference between tax rates and tax revenue?
In a nutshell, even a freshman at an Economic University, knows that taxes can be reduced and at the same time increasing tax revenue. We have been implementing this policy since 2019 and the increase in revenue with reduced rates is due to three main reasons:
– Reducing unemployment, as 500,000 people now have a job and while unemployed were paid by the state through unemployment benefits, they now contribute to revenue through taxation and insurance coverage.
– In the fight against tax evasion with significant results for public revenue and
– In the growth of the economy, since our country has one of the highest growth rates in the European Union.
A third question: How is it possible for PASOK, following the example of SYRIZA, to ask the government to proceed with additional support measures and at the same time denounce the increase in state revenue?
Where will these measures be funded? SYRIZA did not find the “money” he promised. Did Mr. Androulakis and his party “discovered” them?
Our country has paid very expensive, for decades, the price of the “apprentice magicians” and the political opportunists, who were playing with the anxieties of the citizens, sharing money that did not exist and giving … “uncovered” promises. We still have a long way to go, since no one claims that there are no significant problems that we have to deal with, with the first and most of the increased cost of living.
The only way to continue to cover the distance that separates us with the rest of Europe, in terms of the disposable income of the citizens, is to constantly grow the “pie”, through reducing unemployment, the growth of the economy and the treatment of tax evasion, and then to implement permanent support measures.
Tsoukalas: “The Government exchanges the financial bleeding of citizens with crumbs”
The comment had been preceded by K. Potwho argued that citizens know that “the government is exchanging their financial bleeding with crumbs”. As he says, the $ 1.2 billion target for the primary surplus in January -July “came from tax -anti -middle class and popular strata”. In detail, Mr Tsoukalas said in a statement that “the prime minister is celebrating the $ 1.2 billion in the primary surplus in January -July. A surplus that stemmed from the tax -on -the -line taxation and the popular strata through indirect and direct taxation. “
He adds that “in the four-year period 2020-2024, tax burdens increased five times more than the nominal increase in wages and pensions. Mitsotakis surpluses are missing money from the market. This year the Greek tourism experienced this year. ” He argues that “this is why his festivities are out of place and time both in terms of the needs of society and the impasses of his policy.”
“As for his aversion that ‘we have an economy that produces benefits, returned to society’,” commented Mr Tsoukalas, “directly underestimates the intelligence of the citizens, who know that the government is exchanging their financial bleeding with crumbs.”