The countdown for elections has already begun, New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the annual meeting of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), while criticizing the government for missing “the development train.”
The main opposition leader outlined his party’s program, which includes tax reduction, the reformation of the social insurance system with private sector input, the creation of business-friendly investment climate and “an agreement based on truth” with the private sector to boost investments and employment.
“Greece missed the chance to reduce the cost of borrowing to South Mediterranean country levels and to be able to plan its borrowing with confidence,” Mitsotakis said, and referring to measures kicking in on January 1, 2019 that will further reduce pension and the tax-free limit “a fourth bailout agreement.”
Criticizing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in particular, the ND party leader said that the premier had not met any of the five targets he set last year, while the country trailed in development in 2017. “The ghost of the clientelistic state is returning, and we are all paying for it through direct and indirect taxes,” he said.
Mitsotakis also referred to bailout agreement calling for 100 billion euros in investments for the next six to seven years as a gap that had to be covered, as investments showed they had shrunk from 46 billion in 2008 to 11 billion in 2017. He said political stability and a decisive government were vital for the country’s development, and an electoral issue in the next elections.
“Greece is entering a new electoral cycle,” he said, adding that “votes will bring a cleansing and will release the country’s potential.”
