In the field of integrity, social needs, tax justice and development, ELAS will confront the government on the road to the elections.
This emerged from the speech of Alexis Tsipras at the first session of the party's National Council, which has the character of a congress as the party and its executive bodies are newly established.
“Our symbol is our homeland, ELAS our name, our compass is our history, our principles and our ideals”, he said opening his speech, immediately outlining the field of action: “It is not enough to change the government, we must change the policy, the political system, the way the state functions. To bring the new Metapolitefsi that we aspire to,” he noted, speaking of an “ethical revolution” and an “investment in integrity”.
Referring in detail to the development issue, he stressed emphatically: “ELAS does not seek an economy for the few, but a model of fair development. This is our big difference. We are not only interested in how much the economy grows, but also in to whom the wealth is distributed. Not more taxes, but fairer taxes”.
He also announced that INAT (Alexis Tsipras Institute) is studying the creation of a National Convergence Fund with the European average.
With the admission that there is no greater priority than protecting disposable income and reducing the burdens borne by every family, he once again presented the five immediate interventions that will be included in ELAS's program:
- Free Public Transport for All - Because getting around the city is a right and not a privilege.
- 30% Cheaper Electricity for Households and Businesses - Because the cost of energy drains every household's income.
- Housing a Right Again (with a Public housing body and social management of housing loans) -Because Housing is a right for all
- End to the Panhellenic Exams – New Admission System - Because young people do not deserve this psychologically draining and outdated university admission system
- Dignified Pay in Education and Health - Because it is a disgrace for our country and our society that the teacher who teaches our children to read and write and the doctor who operates on us receive undignified salaries
“No more messing around with the banks”
Mr. Tsipras was particularly sharp toward the banks and the practice of not paying tax while giving large dividends to their shareholders.
Specifically he said:
“Banks operate only as mechanisms for creating profits for their shareholders.
When the average profitability of banks in the EU is close to 1% of nominal GDP, in Greece it is close to 2%. But the worst of all is that banks do not pay taxes, like every other business, because of the deferred tax.
They do not pay a euro but this year they distributed 2.8 billion in profits to shareholders. This joke must stop. Either they will complete the deferred tax in 2028, instead of 2035 as they plan, or they will have an extraordinary levy on their profits, such that it will make them think again”.
Economic campaign
Assessing his party's presence so far, he added: “Greece has grown tired of being disappointed. Our greatest achievement is that optimism has returned again that the country can change course.
Hope is not born from words, but when people can discern a different path. It will not be an easy path, we will encounter wars, resistance from those who got comfortable”.
And he announced an economic campaign for the needs of ELAS (“a little from many and not a lot from a few”), addressing his opponents ironically “who collectively owe more than one billion euros (i.e. ND and PASOK) but ask us where we found money for the event in Thiseio”.