SYRIZA MP and member of the opposition party’s financial planning committee Giorgos Stathakis to Vima 99.5 about the negotiations with the troika, SYRIZA’s financial policies and the possibility of a new bailout.
Regarding the possibility of a new bailout, Mr. Stathakis noted that it is unlikely, as it is unnecessary; the MP noted that the country’s funding gap could be covered by other means, via the ECB and tools provided by the ESM. Mr. Stathakis further explicated that the imposition of a new bailout is primarily a political matter, rather than a financial one.
When asked whether a SYRIZA administration would carry out a debt cancellation, Mr. Stathakis ruled out such a possibility, citing Alexis Tsipras’ recent interview to the Sunday edition of To Vima. Mr. Stathakis maintained that SYRIZA will reflect the public will and that the negotiations will be made with the interests the Greek people in mind.
Mr. Stathakis also referred to the priorities of a SYRIZA government, which involve interrupting the downward trend, addressing the humanitarian crisis and encourage a growth in the economy. Among SYRIZA’s priorities are to restore the minimum wage in the private sector to what it was before the onset of the crisis, in an effort to reheat the economy and administer social justice.
As for the fuss that was created over his recent comments on the degree of taxation in Greece, Mr. Stathakis explained that his words were misconstrued and explained that he was referring to the imbalances caused by the rampant tax evasion of businesses, which result in a significant loss of tax revenue. Mr. Stathakis further explained that SYRIZA intends to bring balance to taxation.
