Kontogeorgis: Our commitment is to continue tax relief, support the middle class

Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Thanasis Kontogeorgis, in an interview with the public radio ERT on Wednesday, referred to Greece’s preparedness in light of the Middle East crisis and its effects on the Greek economy and the debate in parliament on the Tempi train crash.

Regarding the Middle East, he noted it is "a region that continuously generates events and crises which, unfortunately, have taken on a character of permanence and normality," admitting that these developments cause worry and insecurity. He nonetheless underlined the government’s readiness on all fronts, with a structured plan to mitigate the conflict’s impacts on the domestic market as well as directly affected sectors such as the economy, tourism, and shipping. "Preparatory work has been done; we are on alert," he stated.

Asked about the crisis’potential impact on Greece’s fiscal policy and, specifically, on announcements due at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), Kontogeorgis said that planning has not changed. However, he acknowledged that monitoring the crisis’s progression and duration is necessary, since a prolonged conflict could have yet unforeseen consequences. He also emphasised that the State Budget Office has made preparations based on available resources and capacities-always within the framework of EU fiscal rules. "Our commitment is to continue tax relief, support the middle class, and steady income growth.... That is the direction we’re taking, and we believe everything will proceed smoothly."

Regarding today’s parliamentary discussion, he described it as the conclusion of a cycle and institutional process, during which the distinction between political and criminal responsibility will be clarified. He stressed that the government has responded with complete seriousness and institutional formality "where professional criminal justice was required, and even more so within the parliamentary process," including fulfilling demands from recent public mobilisation - particularly changes to the law on ministerial accountability and equal treatment of politicians and citizens. Therefore, criticism and accusations from the opposition do not align with reality. He specifically pointed out that smaller opposition parties have "exceeded every limit of political criticism, exposing the dead-end, opportunism, and populism of some parties, and have exploited the tragedy in order to weaponise sentiment and social mobilisation around the Tempi tragedy for partisan competition."

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