CEO of Greece’s Privatization Fund Stelios Stavridis submitted his resignation late on Sunday after Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras asked him to do so. Stavridis did not mention the reason for his resignation. Citing government sources, Greek media report that Stavridis’ resignation was a matter of political ‘ethics’. KTG reported earlier …
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Greek FinMin: “If home foreclosures won’t be allow, banks will collapse”
That’s certainly the most provocative statement and the worst joke of this August: Greek Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras warned that if home foreclosures won’t start banks would collapse. speaking to Sunday newspaper Realnews, Stournaras added that special provisions will be met with social and economic criteria to protect the poor. …
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Troika-fatigue: Are Greek lawmakers tired of austerity? FinMin Stournaras claims so
Maybe. Maybe not. At least Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras claimed, that Greek lawmakers were tired of austerity and that “the fatigue of MPs” could cause a political risk for Greece’s fiscal targets. Stournaras’ interview to Reuters, woke up the tired Greek MPs especially those of coalition government partner PASOK. Those …
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There is no news; or better say: there is nothing new
There are no news to report about. Because all news are not new. It”s just taxes and wildfires – a usual phenomenon in summer. And non-stop decisions by the Greek finance ministry. 1000+1 ways how to combat tax evasion. And that’s no new too. the latest since 2010 Greece tries …
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Three years in IMF, there are still tax “untouchables”: the caste of Greek millionaires
Three years after Greece sought the money of IMF and drained every employee, pensioner and property owner with unbearable taxes, Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras openly admits: there is still a caste of people the tax authorities do not dare to touch. People with millions in the bank who declare income below …
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Greek Parliament: 153 YES for lay-offs in public sector
With a thin majority of 153 votes out of 300 lawmakers in total, Nea Dimocratia and PASOK approved the multi-bill that will sack more than 25,000 civil workers until the end of 2014. The bill with 109 articles, in fact a new tsunami of austerity measures, includes also provisions for …
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Piffle of the Day: Greek FinMin “We would be like Egypt without the euro”
They are unbeatable. And eternally stuck to cliches. They cannot see beyond their nose. They run behind their tail unable to make a step forward. Trapped in the notorious Greek introversion. And they are bold to show it off right into our face. Who? The Greek ‘politicians’, of course. Although …
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Troika – Greece: struggle to avoid €8.1 billion bailout tranche coming in …tranches
Representatives of Greece’s lenders – the “Troika” – are back in Athens and due to meet with finance minister Yiannis Stournaras and other ministers in charge of the upcoming ‘reforms’ – when ‘reforms’ are translated into cuts in public spending and privatization of state assets. New and additional austerity measures …
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German FinMin wants to visist Athens
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble expressed the wish to visit Athens. The wish was expressed during a phone conversation with his Greek counterpart Yiannis Stournaras on Monday. Greek media report that the German FinMin also told Stournaras that Greece has to continue with the reforms. Shcaueble said that Athens has …
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Great Expectations on tax lowering crashed by the wheel of IMF-steamer Christine Lagarde
With the Troika representatives back in Athens, Greece reportedly gives a battle to achieve the lowering of Value Added Tax in catering services and goods from currently 23% down to 13%. So far the signals from the country’s main lender International Monetary Fund are not promising. Christine Lagarde was clear …
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Someone, give Greek FinMin a glass of water, please! Now that it’s still cheap…
Not really. Yiannis Stournaras, Greece’s finance minister was speaking at the Parliament. He spoke and spoke … words and number were shot from his mouth and eventually he got thirsty. Much to his surprised, the parliament staff had not put a glass of water in front of the eloquent speaker. …
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What a shame! Greek FinMin to collect taxes even by those with €300 monthly income
Do you owe money to the Greek state? You have a debt to the tax office? A new circular regulates the installments that make it easier for you to pay your debts. The generosity of the Greek finance ministry and the Troika set an unprecedented example on how the poor …
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Greek FinMin: “No tax reduction in heating oil”, V.A.T. decrease in catering … maybe
“Reduction of tax on heating oil in not feasible at this stage,” Greek finance minister Yiannis Stournaras said on Thursday. “Tax cuts are desirable, but it is currently not possible” the minister added rendering as “major obstacles” to such a move “that revenues are a little worse than the targets.” …
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Greek FinMin “The worst for Greece is over”
That’s one of the best jokes I heard over the Easter days. Greek finance minister Yiannis Stournaras claimed, “the worst for Greece is over”. Apparently, he has no idea about the people who keep losing their jobs each and every day and it looks as if last time he walked …
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Greece moves forward: 15,000 lay-offs, minimum wage at €490/month, retroactive property levy
Development is here to stay! Unemployment will be combated, jobless will get a bread loaf and a piece of cheese and the revenues-bringing tax called “emergency property levy” will continue as such and in some cases even retroactive. On Sunday night, Greek government passed a multi-bill paving the way for …
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Greek FinMin speaks of “lower instincts”!?
“What is a lower instinct?” The question shot in my brain upon hearing Greek finance minister Yiannis Stournaras telling main-opposition party leader Alexis Tsipras of left-wing SYRIZA: You are appealing to the lower instincts and tell the people we can stay int the euro without the memorandum. This is populism …
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German FinMin Schauble on Cyprus: confused, absent-minded or just a tricky politician?
We all remember German finance minister Woflgang Schaeuble claiming that Cyprus was not systemically relevant for the euro zone. His slogan was more or less that the collapse of Cyrpus’s banking sector would not affect the eurozone as the impact could not be systemically. Today, Wolfgang Schaueble claimed exactly the opposite: that …
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Greek FinMin on Troika negotiations: “There is work to do, all open”
“There is work to do. Nothing will be sealed until all is settled,” Greek finance minister Yiannis Stournaras told reporters after a meeting with representatives of the Troika on Thursday adding that the two sides will hold meetings every day. “There is absolutely nothing closed. All topics are open,” Stournas …
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Greece’s Council of Systemic Stability holds extraordinary meeting on Cyprus
Greece’s Council of Systemic Stability is holding an extraordinary meeting Thursday evening to deal with the Cyprus issue. Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras, Bank of Greece governor, George Provopoulos, the chairman of capital market, Costas Botopoulos, and representatives from the Greek Financial Stability Fund (HFSF) participate in the meeting. While some …
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Historic decision: Cypriots vote NO to bank deposits tax
With 39 votes against and 19 abstentions from Anastasiades’ ruling party, Cypriots said a historic NO to Eurogroup decision to charge with a levy bank deposits. Upon announcement of the rejecting decision protesters who had gathered outside the Parliament broke in to loud applaud. No one Cypriot MP voted in …
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