Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, in an interview with MEGA, referring to Alexis Tsipras’s statements on the budget surplus, emphasized that “the government is making the most of the fiscal space allowed by European rules.”
The government spokesperson noted that the increase in tax revenue does not stem from higher tax rates, but rather from economic growth, increased investment, higher exports, the creation of new jobs, and efforts to combat tax evasion.
Mr. Marinakis noted that Alexis Tsipras’s proposals are fiscally unfeasible and referred to the Greek film “The Crazy Fifty-Year-Old.”
“Mr. Tsipras is acting ‘à la Tependris,’ as he ‘promises’ money that doesn’t exist,” he remarked. At the same time, he recalled the period of SYRIZA’s governance, the referendum, the capital controls, the imposition of taxes, and the economic burden on the country.
Regarding the polls and the political landscape, the government spokesperson assessed that, “barring any dramatic unforeseen events, our opponent will once again be Mr. Tsipras,” adding that the positions he is articulating today “are slogans that have been repeated ad nauseam” and are not accompanied by a credible implementation plan.
Speaking about the government’s tax policy, he emphasized that “taxes must be reduced for all citizens, especially for the middle class and those with lower incomes,” rejecting the idea of imposing new burdens on businesses.
He also pointed out that job creation and the promotion of entrepreneurship bring greater benefits to the economy than a policy of increased taxation.
Mr. Marinakis also presented data that—as he argued—reflect the improvement in the Greek economy since 2019, citing the increase in investment and exports, the creation of approximately 600,000 new jobs, and the reduction of dozens of taxes.
As he noted, “we are not starting from scratch,” recalling that the government was called upon to manage successive international crises, while emphasizing that inflation cannot be eliminated with “magic formulas,” but its consequences are being gradually mitigated.
Referring to citizens’ standard of living, he acknowledged that Greece still ranks low on European indicators, noting, however, that “we haven’t become Switzerland or Luxembourg,” but “we’ve covered the greatest distance.”
“Greece in 2019 didn’t wake up in Zurich,” but was “in the third basement level” and is now climbing “floor by floor,” he said.
Regarding internal developments within New Democracy, he stated that former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis “has never been absent from the party,” describing him as a man with “a strong sense of party loyalty.”
Regarding speculation that Antonis Samaras might form a new party, he noted that “we have not accepted this, nor have we ruled it out,” expressing his conviction that any disagreements can be resolved within the party.
Commenting on the case of Dimitris Avramopoulos, he pointed out that it is before the courts and that, based on the information available so far, “it appears that Mr. Avramopoulos has provided convincing answers,” while stressing, however, that the final judgment rests exclusively with the competent judicial authorities.
Finally, he referred to the government’s preparations for the Thessaloniki International Fair, estimating that fiscal space of approximately one billion euros is being created.
As he said, priority will once again be given to tax relief, noting that “I believe we must once again place the emphasis first and foremost on tax relief,” while he emphasized that small and medium-sized enterprises are next in line to see “even better news.”