Tsakalotos dashes hopes for renegotiation of pension cuts

Any hopes that Greece will be able to renegotiate some of the bailout measures it has signed on to, including pension cuts in 2019, were dashed again by Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos who said Tuesday that now is not the time to discuss the issue.

In a cabinet briefing ahead of Friday’s submission to Parliament of a bill containing the prior actions Greece must enact before it can complete its final bailout review, Tsakalotos also said that 15 percent of property owners will see rises in the unpopular ENFIA property tax.

ENFIA has become a contentious issue for ruling SYRIZA as it had vowed to scrap it before the 2015 elections. However, Tsakalotos insisted that 67 percent of owners will not pay more than what they have done so far.

Sources said the bill may be fast-tracked so that lawmakers can debate its content next Monday and Tuesday and a vote can take place before the end of next week, possibly on Thursday, June 14 – before the June 21 Eurogroup where Athens hopes progress will be made on Greek debt relief.