Dealing with the problems of everyday life, increasing wages and salaries, reducing unemployment, are some of the government’s goals in this current, second four-year term of the New Democracy, as stated in an interview by the Minister of State, Makis Voridis.
However, it is time for a national goal-ambition, which the prime minister will announce soon, probably from the stage of the International Exhibition of Thessaloniki, announced the Minister of State, speaking on “Sky” radio.
Starting with the government’s accounting from 2019 onwards, the Minister of State said that the first four years were linked to the exit from the enhanced supervision and the recovery of the investment grade. But then – he continued – came the coronavirus, the tension with Turkey, the immigration crisis which was in a state of crisis in 2019.
But from now on, in the next three years, the first goal is the so-called wage convergence, he promised. The main characteristics of the second four-year term are the reduction of unemployment and the increase of wages, he added, recalling the three increases in the minimum wage, but also the goal of reaching 1,500 euros for the average wage at the end of the four-year period.
The insurance has come into balance, he also argued, putting, however, demographics into the equation: population decline brings a decrease in workers, while pensioners are increasing, he observed. “It is a European but also a very Greek problem,” he pointed out.
However, the increase in demand in the labor market, which also brings an increase in wages, is caused by the increase in investments, he pointed out. An increase which in its turn takes place thanks to the fact that there is a government that is close to businesses, underlined M. Voridis.
Much of the interview focused on tax policy. Here, the Minister of State proposed some changes to the presumptive: if some adjustments are made, it will become much fairer, with point corrections, it will become much more acceptable, he emphasized while clarifying that the measure in his philosophy is correct. In addition, significant strides are being made in tax compliance, “we’re not in heaven, but we’re a lot better,” he added.
Exploring the political landscape following the interventions of Mr. Karamanli and Samara, reiterated the government’s position, that it does not comment on what the two former prime ministers say. He then spoke regarding the “severe criticism that the government hears from various sides”, he even spoke of a “phase of self-flagellation”. And this, because, as he argued, New Democracy is the first party with a difference of 14 percentage points from the second. In addition, he estimated that one of the reasons for the “relaxation” of the vote is this “chaotic difference”.
According to M. Voridis, the time has come to open a big debate regarding “our common aspirations as a country”. What we do well but also what, new, we can produce as a country, bringing the example of a quality primary production.
“I believe that the prime minister will unfold such a plan in the near future”, possibly at the TIF, he announced. The Minister of State’s belief is that the country and its citizens are in this phase: “Along with dealing with all these issues that we are moving forward with, buses, punctuality – we cannot ignore everyday life – but it is also time to put the highest ambition. We talked regarding wage convergence, we talked regarding income increases, this is our pre-election goal and commitment, I think now this type of ambition must be expressed.”
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