Fin.Min.: Budget space will be found for support measures

The Minister of Finance, Christos Staikouras, appeared optimistic that a budget space will be found again for measures to support households and businesses, adding that this will be done in a fair way and is a collective decision.

As he said on SKAI radio, “I am optimistic that we will again find fiscal space, as shown by the budget execution.”

He emphasized that the decision was not a signal of a formal antitrust inquiry into the prime minister, but rather a matter of urgency.

“It takes prudence”

“We need to be constantly close to society, we need to find fiscal space and return it to society,” he said.

He added, however, that prudence is required, because we are a special country that must pay close attention to our budgets. “There will be a primary deficit this year as well, the public debt is sustainable, but the highest in Europe, we are still in a state of enhanced supervision and there is no investment grade”.

Mr. Staikouras also said that there is an escalation of problems in terms of inflation. But he added that at the same time there is an improvement in the economic climate in the country, there is a decline in unemployment, while the smaller obligations of citizens, as with ENFIA property tax, alleviate the disposable income of households. “We are creating budgetary opportunities for even more solutions,” he said.

“Our choice is to permanently stimulate income”

Mr. Staikouras explained that 110 million euros were given as a subsidy for fuel, but at the same time the citizens received 370 million euros through the new reduced ENFIA. He characteristically stressed: “instead of giving bonuses, you get less taxes”.

The choice of the government, according to the minister, is to permanently stimulate the disposable income of the citizen by reducing taxes, increasing the minimum wage.