Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras Phicture: www.tovima.gr
Panos Kamenos, of the Independent Greeks party, accused the government of taking decisions that are nationally dangerous. According to him, the law will contribute to the impoverishment of the Greek people and it is unconstitutional. He noted that, since 2009, there has been a 70-fold increase in taxes, 9 extraordinary takings have been introduced, pensions have been cut 20 times, all bonuses have been cancelled, the tax on heating fuel has been increased six times, while, at the same time, incomes have remained unchanged. "Some of our compatriots will not survive this cold winter. Greeks will die because the government decided to implement the order of the Troika to impose a heavy tax on heating oil", said Kamenos, adding that seven hundred thousand Greeks and households are unable to pay their electricity bills, the poor in the country total three million, 57% of young people are unemployed, since 2009 to date, 500,000 businesses have been closed, and, in 2012, 13% of children stopped going to school. According to the lawmaker, those who have housing need to transfer it to the state and the state, in turn, deliver it to creditors, and this will be the annulment of private property. Panos Kamenos said that, according to Independent Greeks, the solution lies in debt relief. Obligations of small and medium-sized companies should be settled. Along with this, a tax law on a tax rate of 8%-10% should be adopted, so that Greece can be competitive with neighbouring states.
Golden Dawn's leader Nikos Mihaloliakos called the new law's provisions ineffective and unfair. According to him, small and medium owners, who bought 2-3 houses and are now letting them out in order to earn an income, will suffer. Instead of doing research where money may be easily raised, there are ten different taxes on real estate, Mihaloliakos said. According to him, the tax on heating fuels is devastating and there is no other tax that is more unfair compared to this one. The Golden Dawn party considers unfair the fact that a poor pensioner will have to pay the same taxes as large owners and businessmen. Thus, the state will lose, rather than gain. In parallel, there is an illegal market for cigarettes, like in the '50s - this is where Greece has ended up, Mihaloliakos said. In his opinion, the plans of the government will fail. "I hope that they succeed. Because I see how unemployment is rising, and the economy has already been destroyed. We vote against the law. The country is falling apart. Let everyone choose their way to go," said Nikos Mihaloliakos.
General Secretary of the Communist Party Aleka Papariga criticised the system of collecting receipts. She accused the government of requiring citizens to keep receipts worth 25% of their incomes, while, at the same time, receipts for electricity bills are not included. "Is electricity a luxury? If we have no receipts from the electric company, how will we collect receipts at all? From broccoli and cabbage, maybe? You cannot exclude the most important costs. Are we returning to gaslight? Here, even with zero revenues, if a household has a home - they have to pay some 1,200 - 1,500 euro," said Papariga.