Main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Greek industrialists at the conference of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) that Greece will be subjected to extremely strict fiscal discipline over the coming years due to PM Alexis Tsipras’ lack of credibility.
It is for this reason, Mitsotakis asserted, that the government was forced to sign an update of the existing memorandum that essentially constitutes a fourth memorandum, which mandate that Athens maintain a high, 3.5 percent primary surplus through 2022.
Mitsotakis said the government’s taxation and insurance policies have been catastrophic for the country, and create new fiscal timebombs, as Greeks owe 102bn euros in taxes, 31bn euros in insurance contributions, and 100bn euros to banks.
Mitsotakis said that the insurance system today does not ensure solidarity and turns pensions into welfare benefits. He said the private sector must contribute more to supplementary pension plans.
“From an entrepreneurship without rules, we must proceed to an entrepreneurship with values,” he said.
Administrative Reform Minister Olga Gerovasili in her speech to SEV answered Mitsotakis, denying his claim that the number of civil servants increased by 28,000, according to a December, 2017 audit. She said that there are 10,000 fewer tenured civil servants than there were when Mitsotakis was adminsistrative reform minister.
Labour Minister Effie Achtsioglou charged that Mitotakis wants “cheap, unprotected workers” and opposes the restoration of collective bargaining contracts.
