The Minister of Finances Euclid Tsakalotos and the Minister of Economy Giorgos Stathakis are currently in a meeting with the heads of the institutions on Friday morning, after the IMF’s new head representative to Greece, Delia Velculescu [pictured], arrived in Athens late on Thursday.
Also present at the meeting, which is taking place at the Athens Hilton, will be the European Commission’s Declan Costello, the European Central Bank’s Rasmus Refer and European Stability Mechanism’s Nicola Giammarioli. The four institution heads are scheduled to meet with the Governor of the Bank of Greece Yannis Stournaras.
The creditors have reportedly requested:
- the abolition of tax exemptions, oil subsidies and other benefits for farmers
- the increase of the tax advance for professionals and self employed
- the opening of closed professions
- the abolition of parafiscal charges collected by bodies, municipal authorities and pension funds and
- the abolition of an 8% solidarity tax on incomes over 500,000 euros as they reportedly claim that it may result in tax evasion
The last request, for the abolition of solidarity tax, effectively concerns about 350 Greek taxpayers. The institutions have also proposed the introduction of a single 6% tax rate on incomes over 50,000 euros.
Earlier on Thursday the institutions’ technical teams had a special meeting to discuss parafiscal taxes and the possibility of establishing an interministerial committee in order to simplify business licensing process. Talks will also begin so that by the end of the year there will be new a framework for collective bargaining that will guarantee justice and efficiency in the workplace.
