Calling for people to respond to the “invitation for unity and creation”, Alexis Tsipras, Greece’s leader of main opposition party left-wing SYRIZA, revealed a thorough program for the recostruction of the Greek economy. Speaking at the International Fair of Thessaloniki, Tsipras presented eight objectives for “a comprehensive, coherent, progressive and realistic reconstruction program” in order to secure the essential welfare services and infrastructure, the increase of public funding for education, health and social support.
At the same time he reiterated the renegotiation of the Memodarnum of Understanding with a clause for development and a elimination of a part fo the debt.
Specifically, the eight objectives are:
- The immediate raise of a protective shield in society in order to halt the ongoing humanitarian crisis
- Reduce unemployment as soon as possible
- Provide necessary social services and infrastructure, increase public funding for education, health and social protection
- The adequacy of the country in food, medicine and fuel. Supporting local production for essential drugs and generics. Encouraging the greatest possible import substitution. It is telling that 75% of drug costs for 98 drugs in total 6000, of which only two are produced in our country. Will establish a national wholesaler. And, instead of indirectly funding from the state budget marketing of pharmaceutical companies to fund direct scientific research in the field of medicine.
- Reduce public debt economy
- Implement a comprehensive program to protect the natural resources and the environment
- The development of public mass transport, particularly rail ways throughout mainland Greece and the combined road and public transport. The establishment of a public-social ferry operator for transport among the islands
- The further strengthening of shipping. With the conclusion of the national framework agreement with the shipping industry and the ship-owning world. This agreement, among other things, it will revise from scratch also the fifty eight different tax concessions for reeders.
As for the revenues increase, Tripras proposed:
1. The progressive reform of the taxation system
2. The establishment of a though electronic asset registry
3. The restructure and reform of tax offices with skilled personnel
He committed to a public bank solely with the purpose of enterprises funding and said that SYRIZA will submit a bill for “indebted businesses and households”.
Concerning the loan agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) Tsipras reiterated that SYRIZA will seek renegotiation of the loan contract with a moratorium for the payment of interest rates of foreign debt for a specified period of time, eliminating an rest of the debt and the repayment of the rest with a clause for development.
Alexis Tsipras stressed that since months the agenda of the country is “what austerity measures Greece has to take into order to receive the Troika loans” while it should be “what Greece has to do to reconstruct the country in the time after the Troika.”
source: via Ethnos.gr (incl also concrete plans for combating tax evasion, banks etc)
This is a wishing list. How about answering to the question how this all is done.
Well, this is one more example of Mr. Tsipras’ showing his political competitors what leadership is all about!
There isn’t really anything in this declaration that a sensible person could disagree with. And if I were a Greek, I would see a lot of hope in it.
Personally, I think Mr. Tispras would be bad news for Greece because I feel sure that he would do even more of those things which got Greece into trouble in the first place: an expanded role of the state. I recognize, however, that this is an assumption on my part and my assumption may be wrong.
Either way, political leadership is not about complying with all the things that others, particularly foreigners, expect Greece to do. Policital leadership is about giving people a positive perspective for the future.
Mr. Tsipras’ talent in that regard is unsurpassed in Greece today!
I agree. All we’ve being hearing since Samaras government took office are:cuts here, cuts there, equivalent measures, tralala-measures, and “to convince our lenders we stick to our commitments”. Tsipras speech makes a new approach that shows indeed some skills of a leader. but as you say the danger of an expanded role for the state is definetely in. In addition, a much more hydrochephalus state as he opposes lay-offs. He will have to explain this to the private sector though. From what I understood on other occasions, SYRIZA wanted more work places in the public sector. And then the risk for Tsipras to be drawn in the system of clientelism & nepotism would be there. vicious cycle.
Samaras, Venizelos and Kouvelos combined have as much charisma as a wet dish cloth. Tsipras is oozing with the right stuff indeed. From reading through this post, and looking at the expanded version in the link, there are 2 things obvious. Whatever the arguments pro or contra state involvement, he recognizes 2 areas where Greece NEEDS to do something for itself if it wants to stand a chance. Self sufficiency in food and energy. If a state hasn’t got that, it will always be at the mercy of vultures. And there are plenty of those out there.
He undoubtedly hit the nail on the head there. These two areas are, amongst everything else that is wrong in this country, if anything, the Achilles heel of Greece. And for recognizing that, I think he should be given a chance to make it work. It can’t get much worse than it is now, and at least he has a vision of a future worth fighting for instead of a future to dread.
When I saw Tsipras doing the walk-about on TIF it was total deja vu. Like seeing Karamanlis and Papandreou in one person. Walking around with a big group of people around him and shaking hands, smiling and doing all the things these other two were so good at.
Then this plan, that could have come from these two too. Great soundbites. And yes I might even be feeling enthusiasm for “2. The establishment of a though electronic asset registry” and “3. The restructure and reform of tax offices with skilled personnel” as these are priorities that should have been introduced long time ago by now.
But most of all I see nothing new. Just going on with blind statism. And that brought us here in the first place.
show me ONE Dutch politician who doesn’t shake hands when in a crowd of people.
Don’t shake the hand of a Dutch politician. Everybody knows that. Because you will have lost your hand forever.
But serious: It’s not the handshaking an Sich. It’s the whole posturing that reminds me so much of those other two. There really is a difference in the ‘swollenness’ (if that is a word?) of how these guys go about here. They also all come in these mysterious groups. Never forget one night at the local festival, when the then mayor of our village made a short visit. 15 guys were constantly at his side. Hanging on every word. Watching as he was shaking hands with the locals. Who they were? What they were doing. I don’t know. I just know that when he, during a performance, left all those guys went with him.
It’s this pasha kind of thing. When a Dutch politician is entering a place you might see one or two accompany him/her. But that’s it. No grey suited pall-bearers. That’s only for the queen. But even when here son is entering somewhere there is not this grey crowd on his tails like he has honey all over his backsite.
OK, you see this in other countries besides Greece too. Those strange people standing behind the politician who makes a speech or announcement. Might have originated in the US. But I also have seen it often in footage of dictatorships when the Great Leader is doing his walk-abouts.
But it’s unimportant… it just rubs me the wrong way.
we call these guys “clakadoroi” meaning paid to applaud.
You see only two guys following a Dutch politician because people in the north have disciplined feelings. we in the south love to be all together in big crowds and express our feelings loud and straight. you don’t have syrtaki in Holland , do you?
Yes we do. It’s called klompendans. And have you ever watched 30.000 people dressed in orange during a speed skate championship for two whole days??? Or almost a million in Amsterdam along the canals when the team who LOST the World Championship is welcomed like winners. Don’t tell me about disciplined feelings. They are stark bonkers mad in that respect there in Holland.
I was misunderstood -again- in my ironic approach
As was I…
🙂 two ironies make one non-irony lol
Since Mr. Tsipras will likely not be held accountable for the Greek economy’s outlook, it’s easy for him to demagogue and propose pleasing to the ear economic remedies, όποιος είναι έξω από τον χορό, πολλά τραγούδια ξέρει.
Pray tell me which politician(s) are being held accountable for what exactly?
And why would Tsipras have to be held accountable for the results of a situation created by others.
The guys who have been running the place for the last 30 years or so couldn’t organize an orgy in a brothel, leave alone run an economy. Why would somebody else be held accountable for the results of their inabilities?