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Antonis Samaras: scenarios for a new government are a political anomaly

15 December 2013 / 14:12:03  GRReporter
5511 reads

- I believe that there will be an agreement soon about the Greek defence systems. They should be limited to the most necessary functional units and the necessary staff. However, they should also keep their productive capability, competitive nature and exports intact. They already have export orders. On such a competitive basis, we can build a modern defence industry, which I hope will develop soon without accumulating deficit for the country, like in the past. Instead, it will produce surpluses and may finance at least part of the armament programmes of the Greek armed forces. As far as auctions are concerned, I have said this before and I will say it again: the main housing will continue to be protected for the unemployed, the poor, disadvantaged and those with average incomes... However, the banking system should also be protected from the abusive practices of some people who have to pay their mortgages, but are protected by the common prohibition. Otherwise, banks will be able to provide new mortgages, especially to young people. On this basis, we all agree. But the protection of bank credits will not be at the expense of the weak, who cannot service their debts because of the economic crisis.

- Recently, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has produced a report which offers major structural changes, arguing that it will contribute to the development. Will you implement these reforms?

- Yes, this is the so-called toolkit of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a list of another list of hundreds of individual interventions for the increase of market efficiency and competitiveness of the economy. This is the "next wave of reforms" concerning details of the restructuring of markets. And do you know that reforms are judged not just according to "general guidelines" and "major messages", i.e. blows against bureaucracy, tax evasion, cartels, the opening of closed professions, etc. Reforms are judged according to dozens of details that make these major messages real. Now, we are going into details and 70% of these rules are starting to be implemented without this being stringently required by the memorandum. We are doing it because it is right, because these are proven around the world and we should have done it years ago...

Tags: Antonis Samaras interview political scenarios elections
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