Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday said that the imposition of an extraordinary tax of 33% on the “very high profits of refineries” was “an act of social justice that has political and moral legitimacy,” in his interview with Real Fm radio station.
“This is a fair decision due to the very high profits, as a result of significant changes in the international oil market. The revenues, which are expected to be smaller than those of 2022, close to 300 million euros, will be directed to the support of the budget and certainly to the support of vulnerable groups at the end of the year, specifically those low pensioners who have not seen an increase due to the personal difference,” emphasised Mitsotakis, who made it clear that “we do not confiscate profits and do not punish entrepreneurship.”
On the issue of high prices, the prime minister insisted that after the drop in inflation, “we must move on to reductions of products in the super markets”.
Mitsotakis underlined that the government made an important decision to make the reduced VAT on taxis and on take-away or delivery coffee permanent. “Everyone must realise that high prices undermine social cohesion,” he added.
The prime minister insisted that the fight to support disposable income and to raise wages was ongoing.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
