Tsipras eyes bill scrapping MPs’ tax breaks, cutting ministers’ wages
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called for the quick submission of legislation in Parliament abolishing tax breaks for MPs and reducing the wages of ministers and heads of public organizations, a government official said on Monday.
Tsipras underlined the need for the legislation during a meeting at the Maximos Mansion attended by Alternate Finance Minister Dimitris Mardas, the Alternate Minister for Administrative Reform, Christoforos Vernardakis, and another top government official Spyros Sayias.
'When the abolition of tax breaks for farmers is on the table of negotiations, we can't ignore tax exemptions that apply for us,' Tsipras was cited as telling his colleagues.
The premier said a bill revoking the privileges be submitted without delay, insisting that the move was not the result of demands by creditors but the duty of a government imposing tough measures.
"It is a political initiative, not imposed by the current negotiation, but a duty of the political system not to exempt itself from the measures it is taking," he was quoted as saying, adding that the initiative "will not only have financial results but is symbolic in its content."
