by In the familiar pattern of nationalizations, with PPC and the National Bank first, rich promises, such as a minimum wage of 880 euros with automatic indexing every year, VAT reduction in fuel, food up to… cancellation of it in the special categories, the pre-election announcements by Alexis Tsipras during the presentation of the SYRIZA “Contract for Change” program have been moved.
A program which, as he said, is not “Science fiction”, neither “fake futuristic AI environment”however reality refutes it, since its proposals evolve in an imaginary world, far from reality.
Central element, its frame of private debt into funds and the tax office and the suspension of first home auctions for properties up to 300,000 euros, without explaining with which model this would be possible, and without any reference to the cost of the program.
Although Mr. Tsipras denied that it cost as much as ND cost it, It is 45 billion euros or moreNevertheless did not reveal exactly how much it costs, although, as he said, from the first days of government, SYRIZA will increase the minimum wage and restore the 13th pension.
Faithful to the ideologies of SYRIZA and its world, he is committed removal of the minimum import base (MIB) from this year in universitiesrepeating the logic that has prevailed for years on the left and which is none other than that of the least effort. “We will come and tear down the fences that Mitsotakis and Kerameos have put in your life, in your right to education”announced Mr. Tsipras, rewarding the model of semi-literacy, and also announcing the end of the university police. “Abolish campus police, cops should go to neighborhoods to deal with crime”he said.
In SYRIZA’s programme, which consists of eleven itemsis dominated by renationalization of PPC, which constitutes for the party the absolute fetish, with the nationalization of water supply companies EYDAP, EYATH and at least one bank, in this case National Bank, which will constitute a “public pillar of the banking system”.
“We take back public control of energy and water, which are public, non-tradable goods, and establish a public pillar in the banking system. We are taking back public control over the PPC. We return the shares in EYDAP, EYATH and the State. We are reducing water and sewer taxes. We are canceling the HFSF and we submit its actions to the finance department. We Leverage National Bank Equity Share to Become a Public Pillar“, explained Mr. Tsipras.
However, he did not explain why citizens would benefit from the nationalization of PPC and whether the company could lower electricity prices, which would obviously lead to losses, which would then be covered by the Greek state itself. , that is, the Greek taxpayers, who are also shareholders of the company.
He also did not explain how citizens will benefit. nationalization of the National, which would reverse the successful turn that the banking system has taken in recent years, scaring investors, just like in the case of the PPC. Nor did he make it clear that the dangerous funding and write-offs would put the bank’s capital adequacy at risk, resulting in possible further recapitalization, which would again be paid for by Greek taxpayers.
The SYRIZA program summarizes all “torpedoes” which have so far launched its star frameworks such as “the abolition of the HFSF and the subordination of its actions to the Ministry of Finance”. A decision that SYRIZA staff surely know is not taken unilaterally, but in agreement with the EU.
How these companies will be nationalized or how the shares of the HFSF will be transferred to the state is another matter. How much value they will have for their shareholders (i.e. taxpayers) is another question. The important thing for SYRIZA, as the “Contract for Change” shows, is to be in control. Not only to set the rules and check if they are applied, but decide on tariffs, interest rates, who will get the loans, whose debts will be forgiven. How all this will be done is of secondary importance.
Al. Tsipras: The program is feasible
Assuring that SYRIZA is well prepared to govern and that the program is “radical but at the same time realistic and at the same time achievable”, the President of SYRIZA presented his 11 main points:
Article 1: Increase in the minimum wage. It will increase to 880 euros and there will be an annual indexation to the inflation level of the previous year. At the same time, SYRIZA has committed to a three-year “thaw”, a 10% increase in the salaries of civil servants from July 1, 2023, the restoration of the 13th pension and the return to 2.5 million pensioners in a depth of 4 years of retroactive payments. An increase of 7.5% for 2023 will be granted to all retirees, regardless of the existence of a personal difference. It also undertakes to exempt up to 10,000 euros from tax for all natural persons and to abolish the pretense tax.
Article 2: Reduction of VAT. It will be reduced to 6% in food and will be… nil for vital products (baby food, milk, bread). The same article provides for the abolition of the EFFK of farmers and breeders, the extraordinary taxation of accumulated surpluses, the imposition of a ceiling on the profitability of companies in sectors that show systematic surpluses and the reduction of the cost of a monthly card for unlimited journeys in urban transport from 27 euros to 10 euros in Mmm.
Article 3: Cancellation of debts. Debt settlement with cancellation of all debts created after the pandemic and payment in 120 installments for those who missed the settlement. Suspension of auctions of houses up to 300,000 euros. New bankruptcy code, taxation of funds with bad debts. It is also committed to a new binding out-of-court mechanism framework with compulsory creditor participation, through an electronic platform, which will offer two alternative settlement options: A short duration, (5 to 10 years) with a large amortization of the face value of the loan (40% to 60%). And a long-term one (up to 35 years), with payment of the objective value of the mortgaged property in small installments and with a fixed interest rate of 2%. A state subsidy of up to 50% of the deposit is provided with extensive social criteria.
Clause 4: Functioning. Repeal of the Hatzidakis law and the law on collective labor agreements. SYRIZA will bring wage negotiation back to the collective partners from 2024, setting annual indexation as the basis for negotiation.
Article 5: Nationalization of PPC, National Bank, suppression of HFSS. State control in energy and water, use of state share in National Bank shares to become a state pillar of the banking system, acquisition of state control in PPC and installation of new management and return of EYDAP, EYATH shares to the State. Reduction of VAT on water, to 6% against 13% today and on sanitation to 13% (against 24%). Abolition of the Financial Stability Fund.
Article 6: New NSS. Increase in expenditure to 7% of GDP and salary increase: The entry salary will increase to 2,000 euros, while the nursing staff will be included in the heavy and unhealthy. Perpetuation of people on the front line facing the pandemic and 15,000 recruitments over 4 years. Reestablishment of fixed-term contracts for hospital cleaning – security – food.
Section 7: Education. Increase funding for education to 5% of GDP, double funding for HEIs, double the number of professors with the objective that in 4 years substitutes will represent 5% of permanent staff against 30% today. Abolition of the minimum basis for admission to universities. Abolish the university police.
Article 8: Youth policy. 900,000 women will receive family allowances until the age of 24, regardless of their level of education, and from the age of retirement for life. From 70 euros to 105 euros the amount of the subsidy for the second child. Maternity allowance payment is extended to 9 months from 4 today. Maternity leave will be introduced for self-employed women, free admission for all children to kindergartens, a doubling of the housing allowance for young people aged 25 to 44, while it will be prohibited for legal persons to rent accommodation through Airbnb.
Article 9: Cultivation. Graduation of artistic teaching diplomas (music, dance, theatre, cinema) at a level equivalent to TE. Repeal of Presidential Decree 85/2022 for artists.
Article 10: Persons with special needs. 20% increase in the cost of disability benefits, regardless of age. Securing a personal assistant or carer for 70,000 people, depending on the needs of the disabled person, even on a 24-hour basis.
Article 11: State. Repeal of relevant law. No post in the permanent administrative hierarchy may be occupied by a seconded employee. Digital registry for all public infrastructure. Re-establishment of the EYP within the Ministry of Citizen Protection. Repeal of the amendment which does not allow the notification of the follow-up by the PEJ after its completion. Abolition of all criminal immunities. Repeal of Law 4800/2021 on compulsory co-custody. Marriage institution for all couples.
