Speaking on Mega, Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos referred to the Ministry of Development’s bill aimed at protecting citizens in their transactions with banks, emphasizing: “We are putting an end to the fine print. Citizens must know what they have signed, and the bank must know to whom it has granted the loan."
As he explained, the bill applies to loans of up to 100,000 euros without collateral, such as home improvement loans, consumer loans, and credit cards. “The bank will not be able to charge the citizen more than 30% to 50% of the initial principal it lent,” he said, clarifying that the regulation will not have retroactive effect and will apply to new contracts starting in November.
At the same time, Mr. Theodorikakos emphasized that citizens will have the right to request communication with a bank representative when institutions make offers through digital applications, as well as the right to withdraw within 14 days of the agreement. “If we want there to be trust between the banking system and citizens, we must put these transparency measures into practice,” he noted, explaining that he will hold comprehensive discussions on the matter in the coming days with the Governor of the Bank of Greece, Mr. Stournaras, as well as with consumer organizations.
The following paragraphs reflect the minister’s positions on national and political issues. Referring to the Turkaegean trademark case, the Minister of Development emphasized: “We blocked the infamous Turkaegean trademark even at the second level of the European courts. We are on top of the issue; it is not over. We will see it through to the end, because it is extremely provocative.” Regarding Turkey’s references to “Blue Homeland,” he responded characteristically:
“‘Blue Homeland’ is our homeland. It is Greece with its strong economy, its ships, its shipbuilding industry, our islands, the Aegean, and the strength and self-confidence that make us believe that no one can harm us.”
The government is working, as the Minister of Development noted, to complete its program and convince citizens that it deserves their trust for another four years, with a concrete plan for a better life for most Greeks and security for the entire country by 2030. “The headline I would use for the upcoming election cycle, whenever the elections take place, is whether we will move toward 2030 or return to 2015,” she noted.
As he put it, one option is Kyriakos Mitsotakis and New Democracy, while the other is the “anti-New Democracy” and “anti-Mitsotakis” camp, which, in his assessment, appears to be “represented primarily by Alexis Tsipras.”
Regarding the former prime minister, Mr. Theodorikakos noted that “I don’t see him as being very different” from the past, emphasizing that he is attempting “to gather roughly the same people again under a different name.”
He stressed that Mr. Tsipras says nothing about the overtaxation of the middle class or his collaboration with the far right, and added: “What he needs to say is a heartfelt apology for the toxic division of that period, with that infamous ‘either we finish them off or they finish us off.’ We may be political opponents, but we are not enemies. We all serve our country.”
Mr. Theodorikakos expressed hope that he would ultimately not proceed with the creation of a new party, responding to a question about Antonis Samaras. He recalled that Samaras had been leader of New Democracy and prime minister of the country, in a coalition government with PASOK and the Democratic Left, that “he put Golden Dawn in prison,” and that he supported Kyriakos Mitsotakis both in his election to New Democracy and throughout his time in the government’s leadership. “He must explain what is so fundamentally at odds with our party that is driving him there,” he said.
International factors, such as energy prices and developments in the Middle East, are affecting inflation, the Minister of Development noted in closing. However, regarding basic necessities and food, he noted that “the measure capping corporate profits per product code and per product is working effectively,” and added that the new independent authority “is conducting hundreds of inspections and has proven that it is not stopping anywhere.”
As he stated, with the price cap and inspections, “price increases are occurring in 50 times fewer products, while price decreases are occurring 67 times more frequently in a range of products related to basic necessities.”