New Democracy to oppose fiscal measures in bill

SYRIZA and New Democracy were at odds on Thursday over the contents of the multi-bill that MPs are due to vote on Friday as well as allegations over ministers’ failure to fully declare their assets.

“Vote for them on your own: They create problems for society,” said New Democracy leader Evangelos Meimarakis in Parliament in reference to the measures included in the omnibus bill Greece has to pass as part of its effort to unlock another 2 billion euros in bailout funding.

“We voted for the program, which contains targets and a timetable,” said the conservative chief by way of explaining why his party backed the third bailout in Parliament in August. “The measures [though] are yours,” he added.

Meimarakis highlighted increases to tax on property and income from rentals, value-added tax and private education as measures that his party is completely opposed to. He also warned the government not to “even think about” allowing home foreclosures and the purchase of nonperforming mortgage loans by “foreign funds.”

The conservatives will not vote for any fiscal measures but would support any structural reforms in the multi-bill, said Meimarakis.

The ND leader also called on the government to respond to allegations that a minister had failed to declare 1 million euros in deposits in his derivation of wealth form (“pothen esches”). “Whoever it is should come out and say so,” said Meimarakis.

A few hours later, Economy Minister Giorgos Stathakis issued a statement in which he confirmed that he was the minister in question but denied that he did not declare the deposit. According to Stathakis, the money was not included on the pothen esches form he submitted in 2012, after being elected to Parliament but was added in a supplementary declaration the following year.

Stathakis claimed that he submitted an extra form this year after becoming minister to ensure that all his assets were recorded.