Excess surplus will allow a ‘social dividend’, says Dimitris Tzanakopoulos
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
State Minister and government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos on Monday expressed his certainty that Greece will achieve an excess budget surplus that allows the government to distribute a one-billion-euro “social dividend”, while speaking to ANT1 television channel.
The government spokesman referred to figures for the Greek economy indicating that conditions exist for supporting the citizens worst hit by the crisis. He pointed out that 1.6 million Greeks received the one-off benefit in 2016.
“Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has stated that there will be a benefit of one billion euros. The way it will be distributed will be made known by the end of November,” explained Tzanakopoulos.
Ahead of the new round of negotiations with the institutions that starts on Monday, he reiterated that “there are no fiscal measures in the negotiations with the institutions for the third review” and noted that the European partners and IMF have clarified their positions on the Greek economy and the meeting of the programme’s target, excluding any additional measures.
We must implement a difficult fiscal programme, said Tzanakopoulos, adding that in this difficult environment the government is trying to alleviate the situation. «We have adopted difficult decisions but we will be judged by the Greek people and in August 2018 we will finish with the programme”.
ANA-MPA