ELEFTHEROTYPIA

Truth and lies in run up to European elections

Petting us now:

  • Promises of 14,000 hirings
  • Disbursement of the social dividend

Hitting us later:

  • 11,000 public employees to be dismissed
  • Reductions in wages, pensions, and spending until 2018
  • Reductions in supplementary pensions


The government is employing the usual pre-election tactic of promising benefits including hirings in the public sector, and the disbursement of the ‘social dividend’ in order to create a smokescreen for the new measures which will follow after the elections. The government must soon implement measures including the new freeze for wages and pensions legislated for by the ‘medium-term’ omnibus bill, the reduction in supplementary pensions which will be brought about through changes in the way pensions are calculated, a new round of job losses in the public sector and the elimination of taxes on behalf of third parties which will create new funding gaps in the social security system. The lenders also sent a message of continued implementation of the agreed-upon reforms when they approved yesterday the disbursement of the first sub-dose of the next loan tranche worth 6.3 billion euros. 

EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON

They're won't pay, they won’t pay

The duty of shipowners to pay an emergency contribution to help deal with the financial crisis has been deferred until further notice. The government succumbed to the pressure of the shipping community and is keeping shelved ministerial decisions which would activate the relevant provision which concerns 2,800 ships.

As for the debts of ship-owners to social security funds, the Labour Ministry claims that they are being handled by the relevant tax offices.

 

 

ETHNOS

The plan to restart the economy

The government’s proposal to Eurogroup for the recovery

  • How growth will be achieved: Selective interventions in 9 key sectors in which Greece has an advantage.
  • A reduction in taxes: A gradual reduction in taxes on businesses, energy and citizens.
  • A reduction in unemployment: a minimum guaranteed income and support for training and temporary employment programs.

The plan for economic growth over the next decade based on solid foundations was presented yesterday to the Euro Working Group by the President of the Finance Ministry’s Council of Economic Advisors, Panos Tsakloglou. Its faithful implementation would lead to a lightening of the burdens on society. Tax bites would be reduced and new secure jobs would be created. It explicitly states that significant funds would be directed towards investments instead of consumption. 

DIMOKRATIA

Behold the saviours of the country!

Numerous reports are circulating that Bob Traa (a former representative of the IMF) returned to Athens to do business amid the ruins that he helped create.

The secret meetings in the northern suburbs, the publicly owned real estate which is being privatized and the foreigners who provide him with development ‘contracts’.

KATHIMERINI

The pre-trial imprisonment of Golden Dawn leader Michaloliakos is extended

An Athenian council of judges has ruled in favour of extending by six months the pre-trial imprisonment of Nikos Michaloliakos, who is currently being held in Korydallos jail, charged with establishing and running a criminal organisation.