Alexis Tsipras came out in favour of restoring the 13th pension under his government once fiscal headroom becomes available.
“Do you know anyone who would not want to announce broad support for lower-income groups and reverse the austerity measures adopted in 2012 by the coalition government led by Mr Papademos and later by Mr Samaras, involving New Democracy and PASOK?” he said in an interview with TRT Thessaly during his tour of the region.
He added: “Those decisions were taken then. I was the one who reinstated the 13th pension, but not in full. To call things by their proper name, it costs €2.5 billion. I gave €1 billion; I paid part of the 13th pension. At the time, it cost less than €2.5 billion; now the cost has risen to that level. So when I did that, everyone came down on me.
And when Mitsotakis abolished it, pensioners were left with €7 billion less. But, Mr Polyzos, I want to be completely honest with you. Greek society has seen through the grand promises, and continues to do so. So you will not hear me make easy promises.
You will hear me explain what the budget can afford at this moment. You will not hear me say that the money is there. I will tell you what the real possibilities are at present in terms of fiscal headroom.
If we implement our plan to tax great wealth, introduce the patriotic levy and secure an additional two billion, then yes, we will be the ones to bring back the 13th pension. We will be the ones to breathe life into and support the most vulnerable, because we have proved—I have proved—that my concern is for the most vulnerable.”
They will be held to account, I pledge
The ELAS president went on to pledge once again that Mr Mitsotakis and all those who trampled on the rule of law and the judiciary would be held to account.
“Because Mitsotakis’s seven years in office show us that he has found a way to control the leadership of the Greek judiciary.”
On the surveillance scandal in particular, he said: “For a very long time, a private individual has been openly blackmailing the country’s prime minister, and nothing is being done. He was convicted at first instance by the Court of Appeal in December, as we know very well. But I will repeat that the outcome of this case, and the sense of justice in the country, will ultimately be determined by the result at the spring election, both in the surveillance case and in a number of others.
I do not know when it will be decided whether Mitsotakis and New Democracy will get another four-year term. If they do, there is no chance that these issues will be reopened or that anyone will be held to account. If there is a change of government, I pledge—and I also believe. I pledge that I will take this on, and I also believe that no government will be able to remain in office unless it does what it must to ensure that those who trampled on and shredded the rule of law and the judiciary in our country are held to account.”