Professional Chamber of Athens prez. : For the first time no measures were announced for SMEs at the TIF

Any intervention aimed at increasing the income of citizens is certainly positive, however for the first time at the Thessaloniki International Fair-TIF no substantial measures to support small and medium enterprises were heard. This is what the president of the Professional Chamber of Athens (EEA) Yiannis Hatjitheodosiou said commenting on the Prime Minister’s announcements.

He noted that SMEs have been waiting for specific interventions on the energy and debt fronts and warns that if decisions are not taken immediately on brave interventions, this winter will be the last for thousands of businesses.

The full statement of Yiannis Chatzitheodosiou is as follows:

“From the content of the Prime Minister’s announcements, the government’s intention to support the most vulnerable was evident.

Any intervention aimed at increasing citizens’ income is definitely positive. It creates hope for an improvement in the image of the market, and this is because we estimate that a part of the aid to the low-wage earner, the low-pensioners, in general to the poorest households, can be used to increase consumption.

On the contrary, however, there is strong concern of the small and medium-sized enterprises as for the first time in TIF no substantial measures were heard to support them. In other words, we did not see the commitment given by the government being implemented in practice, both before the elections and during these three years of government.

We expected energy support interventions for small and medium-sized businesses struggling to stay afloat. A comprehensive arrangement for debts that are constantly increasing due to inflation and the restriction of consumption. The abolition of the trade tax, a memorandum measure that acts as a “tax” for professionals. In general, we did not hear measures aimed at rescuing small and medium enterprises at first and their development following.

As long as decisions are not taken – even now – for bolder interventions so that thousands of small and medium-sized businesses gain prospects of sustainability, this winter will not just be difficult for them, but may be the last one they will be functioning. And this development does not only affect the businessmen themselves but the whole society as employment will be affected, as well as the course of public revenues”.