April Fool's Day in Parliament

Politicians did not forget the date today and decided to use it as a weapon of insult.

Mr.Samaras, leader of the right-wing ND party, wished “Happy April Fool's Day” to the Prime Minister, and the latter replied “Mr.Samaras you live in the April Fool spirit all year round. You had 5 and a half years to tell the Greek people the truth and you decided not to. We are here to be brutally honest and to lead Greece away from bankruptcy”
Mr.Tsipras, leader of SIRIZA, moved along the same lines when addressing the Prime Minister “Today, although it is April’s Fool Day, you can do a brave act and tell the Greek people the truth for the first time”.

The conflict on the economy

The uplift of the economy is “the big bet of the year”, said the Prime Minister speaking to Parliament, and the signs of a “resurrection” if one compares it with how Nea Dimokratia (the former government) left it. There are 2500 products of mass consumption which are now at lower prices.

Mr Samaras, however, continued to question the Prime Minister: “Tell us one prediction of yours that actually came true! Half a walk in the city center and look at all the shops that have to close, all the dark faces. This is the sad picture of your economic politics. Change it at last!”

The PM replied “that this sad picture you are describing is what you delivered to us”.  Mr.Samaras continued the discussion by demanding to know why “there is such an price increase in thousands of products in the market, as well as an inflation of 5% and 56.000 businesses that closed, and 300.000 workplaces lost. Greece deals in 20% illegal merchandizing and legal commerce loses 25 billion euros every year, which leads to the State losing 6 billion. Businesses are called upon to pay VAT that they haven’t yet received, the public investment programme is 70% below the annual goal and the loans that are given out are 13 times less than usual for 20 times smaller sums. EU support programs are not used and 16 billion euros are stuck in drawers”

The Prime Minister replied that “we want to lower taxes and I have asked the EU for guarantees that the taxes will decrease in time in conjunction to tax evasion. I am waiting for these agreements, since after discussions we all agree the problem of taxation is the biggest.”

Mr.Papandreou continued by saying “Mr.Karamanlis' government caused to the country to go down 36 places in the international competitiveness scale – 32 before the breakout of the crisis” and he added that “it is the first time that we are taking the first baby steps towards a better future in businesses, with an increase of exports at 30-40% in relation to last year. The rate of change for the AEP is improving and in reference to employment, 2013 will be the first year with a positive outcome”.

Mr.Papandreou had to confront questions from Mr.Tsipras as well, and he referred to Siriza’s leader saying that he needs to accept his responsibilities, to take part in all discussion of the economy program of the country, and stated that Mr.Tsipras should realize that the government’s main goal is to bring out the best assets of this country and that “we do not want to squeeze out any more from pensions and salaries”.