Lack of certainty and continuity in Greek Government's economic measures to tackle the public deficit and the crisis
27.4.2009
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3347/09
by Maria Matsouka (PSE)
to the Commission
In an effort to reduce the public deficit, the Greek Government has decided to impose a special levy on natural persons with high incomes. At the same time, in order to alleviate the burden on the financially most vulnerable sections of society, it has decided to pay them lump-sum allowances instead of annual increases. Bearing in mind that no measures have been taken this time either to eradicate the huge amount of tax and social security evasion plaguing the country, it is clear that not only are the tax and social security dodgers being rewarded once again but also that the effectiveness of this policy will be limited. On the other hand, 20 days after notification that the above allowances were to be paid, the Minister for Employment announced that this income policy would be reversed and that there would be a return to a percentage increase, which appreciably reduces, however, the already low incomes of workers and pensioners.
In the light of these economic decisions by the government, will the Commission say:
- 1.whether it is aware of the Greek Government's economic strategy,
- 2.whether assessments have been made of the effectiveness of this strategy in relation to the public deficit and the crisis, and
- 3.whether it considers the piecemeal nature of these measures to be appropriate?
OJ C 189, 13/07/2010