ELAS will go head-to-head with the government on issues of integrity, social needs, tax justice, and development in the run-up to the elections.
This emerged from Alexis Tsipras’s speech at the first session of the party’s National Council, which took the form of a conference since the party and its executive bodies are newly established.
“Our symbol is our homeland; ELAS is our name; our history, our principles, and our ideals are our compass,” he said as he opened his speech, immediately outlining the scope of action: “It is not enough to change the government; we must change politics, the political system, and the way the state functions. We must bring about the new post-dictatorship era we hope for,” he noted, speaking of a “moral revolution” and “investing in integrity.”
Referring in detail to the issue of development, he emphatically stressed: “ELAS does not seek an economy for the few, but a model of equitable development. That is our key difference. We are not only interested in how much the economy grows, but also in who shares in the wealth. Not more taxes, but fairer taxes.”
He also announced that INAT (the Alexis Tsipras Institute) is studying the creation of a National Convergence Fund to align with the European average.
Based on the premise that there is no higher priority than protecting disposable income and reducing the financial burdens borne by every family, he once again presented the five immediate measures that will be included in the ELAS program:
- Free Public Transportation for All—Because getting around the city is a right, not a privilege.
- 30% Cheaper Electricity for Households and Businesses—Because energy costs are eating into every household’s income.
- Housing as a Right Once Again (with a public agency for housing and the social management of mortgages)—Because housing is a right for everyone
- End the National University Entrance Exams – New Admissions System – Because young people do not deserve this psychologically draining and outdated university admissions system
- Decent Wages in Education and Healthcare – Why it is a disgrace to our country and society that the teachers who educate our children and the doctors who operate on us receive wages that are beneath their dignity
“Enough with the banks’ antics”
Mr. Tsipras was particularly scathing toward the banks and their practice of not paying taxes while paying out large dividends to their shareholders.
Specifically, he said:
“Banks operate solely as profit-generating machines for their shareholders.
While the average profitability of banks in the EU is close to 1% of nominal GDP, in Greece it is close to 2%. Worst of all, however, is that banks do not pay taxes like any other business, due to deferred taxation.
They don’t pay a single euro in taxes, yet this year they distributed 2.8 billion in profits to shareholders. This farce must stop. Either they will settle their deferred tax liability by 2028, instead of 2035 as they plan, or they will face a special levy on their profits—one that will make them think twice.”
Economic Push
Assessing his party’s performance to date, he added: “Greece is tired of being let down. Our greatest achievement is that optimism has returned—the belief that the country can change course.
Hope is not born of words, but when people can see a different path. It will not be an easy path; we will face battles and resistance from those who have grown comfortable with the status quo.”
And he announced an economic initiative to meet the needs of the Hellenic Police (“a little from many, not a lot from a few”), addressing his opponents ironically—“who collectively owe over one billion euros (ed. note: New Democracy and PASOK) but ask us where we found the money for the event at Thiseio.”