The Government monitors the developments in a serious way and responds every time, always within the framework of the possibilities of the economy and public finances, the Minister of Finance Makis Keravnos told KYPE, stressing that the Government is not led astray by "slogans and pressures".
Speaking at KYPE regarding the discussions being held for the presentation of new support measures, Mr. Keravnos said that the Ministry is working on permanent support measures for vulnerable groups and the middle class.
At the same time, he said that the Ministry of Finance is already considering measures, such as the abolition of VAT on pollutants, to note that there are legal issues being considered.
He dismissed criticism that the VAT zero rate had returned, stressing that only some products for specific groups of the population returned to the zero rate, which showed increases of up to 150%. "And that's why it was decided to return the zero rate for these products in a targeted manner", he stressed.
As Mr. Keravnos said, "the Government seriously monitors all developments and responsibly responds every time with measures, as it did in the almost two years of governance, always within the framework of the possibilities of the economy and public finances".
"We are not swayed by slogans or pressures. Everything is done with the focus on vulnerable groups, the middle class and the potential of the economy and public finances," he added.
Mr. Keravnos will participate on Monday in the meeting of the President of the Republic with social organizations and trade union groups, while on Wednesday he will meet with the coalition parties to discuss their proposals.
"We will listen and consider the measures, always within the framework of our capabilities," he said.
He emphasized that "the Government is constantly considering support measures depending on the developments because we are acting proactively".
Asked about the possibility of abolishing VAT on polluter fees, Mr. Keravnos said that the Ministry was already looking into the issue, to note, however, that there are also legal issues. "We are trying to see how we can overcome them," he added.
Finally, the Minister of Finance pointed out the uncertainty prevailing in the external environment and the fact that from 2025 the repayment of the loan of the European Stability Mechanism begins, but also the potential obligations that may arise due to the problems in contracts for infrastructure projects.