Tsipras lays out five priorities

Speaking at the 7th Economic Post Forum, Greek Left Coalition president Alexis Tsipras presented a package of five first-priority measures. They include free use of public transport in Athens and Thessaloniki for all except tourists, abolition of the Panhellenic university entrance exams, and a guaranteed minimum amount of electricity at a fixed price for every household. The former prime minister framed the policies as targeted relief for a squeezed middle class and young people.

Marinakis says Tsipras ‘unchanged since 2012’

During the regular press briefing on Monday, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis launched a fierce attack on Tsipras.

“I have the feeling that Mr Tsipras did not simply rebrand, but entered the cupboard of history, a time capsule, and returned unchanged — not in 2015 but somewhere in 2012, when before the U-turn he was promising everything to everyone.”

Marinakis argued the proposals were lifted from a period that ended with a sharp policy reversal and the imposition of 30 new taxes on 9.5 million taxpayers. He said the math of taxing a targeted 1,500 tax-registration numbers does not add up, and that the only tax numbers Tsipras burdened as prime minister were those of the middle class and low incomes.

Transport fares and youth taxes become flashpoints

Marinakis used the public transport fare to underline his point.

“The ticket went from €1.20 to €1.40 under SYRIZA and returned to today’s price under New Democracy.”

He contrasted this with his own government’s record: income tax has been zeroed for citizens up to 25 years old and cut to 9 percent for those up to 30. Marinakis said 600,000 people found jobs under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and that the government aims to reduce taxes further for the middle class and for businesses.

Before 20151.2

SYRIZA (2015–2019)1.4

New Democracy (since 2019)1.2

Before 2015

1.2 €

SYRIZA (2015–2019)

1.4 €

New Democracy (since 2019)

1.2 €

Data from the article text

Warning of a return to memorandum-era economics

Marinakis repeatedly predicted that the proposals, if ever enacted, would push Greece back into a cycle of successive bailouts.

“Once again we hear a bundle of un-costed proposals whose basic characteristic is populism and the attempt to be temporarily pleasant. If they are ever implemented, they will lead the country where it was led during the economic crisis — from one memorandum to another.”

He said the government would not respond in detail to un-costed measures and called on parties to table fully costed programmes.

Briefing also touches on housing, migration and Libya

Before the Tsipras exchange, Marinakis opened the briefing by announcing that the ‘Renovate’ platform for subsidised home upgrades is now accepting applications, with the aim of bringing thousands of closed properties into the long-term rental market. He also noted that the deadline for land-clearance declarations has been extended to 22 June. On foreign affairs, he confirmed that Greece respects international law and commented briefly on the visit of Saddam Haftar, deputy head of the Libyan National Army, to Athens.