Mitsotakis vows to cut taxes, social security contributions
In his speech before the country’s political and business elite at the Thessaloniki International Fair on Saturday night, New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis pledged to lower taxes and social security contributions and introduce sweeping reforms when ND comes to power that would improve the daily life of citizens and put an end to a “gray era.”
The ND leader promised a new “contract of trust” between the state and the Greek people, saying the current one has been broken by the leftist-led administration which he described as a “failed government” which “destroyed everything positive.”
He pledged a series of tax cuts including a 30 percent reduction to the unified property levy, ENFIA, as well as drastic cuts to income tax, from 22 percent to 9 percent for those earning up to 10,000 euros, also promising to create 700,000 new jobs. He also pledged to cut value added tax on restaurants and cafes to 13 percent from 24 percent as well as the gradual reduction of a levy on the self-employed.
The ND leader presented his six priorities for Greece: creating a society that offers opportunities for progress and prosperity to all; a productive, innovative economy that will attract investments; a functional political system and an effective state as well as voting rights for Greeks abroad; an educational system that prepares for the future; a country that regards an effective justice system and security as preconditions for democracy; the participation of Greece policy formation in both Europe and NATO.
An ND government would abolish the so-called Paraskevopoulos law allowing the early release of prisoners to decongest prison and also the Katrougalos law that overhauled the pension system, he said.
As for the Macedonia name deal, a particularly sensitive issue in northern Greece, Mitsotakis condemned it at “shameful” and repeated that ND would vote it down in Greece’s Parliament. If it fails to be ratified, Skopje should know that “negotiations will start from scratch,” Mitsotakis said, to a standing ovation.
