‘Tax breaks and raises in salaries and pensions are permanent, not one-off’
– Public opinion polls continue to show that ND has not managed to get its message across to young voters. Can this lack of trust be made up with a one-off handout of 150 euros?
The lack of trust is not just about New Democracy; all the main parties have poor resonance with the younger generation. And that is something we need to try to change. It would be an insult to suggest that this deficit can be covered with benefits. What we did, with policies at many different levels, is to try to create a better country where young people will see a brighter future. We have to acknowledge that young people bore the burdens of previous generations in the decade-long economic crisis. They had to pay for problems that were not their fault. Many left the country. Others live on a very low salary, paying very expensive rent or still live with their parents because they can’t make ends meet. We took initiatives to deal with these problems. We improved education, raised the minimum salary to 780 euros from 650 euros where SYRIZA had left it, and introduced the “My House” program which allows young couples to acquire their own home. The interest shown in the program prompted us to double the resources available.
We implemented digital and green upskilling programs for the unemployed, actions for youth employment and for young entrepreneurship. During our term, 300,000 new jobs were created. Youth unemployment remains high, but it dropped 5.5 percentage points from 2019 and we have started seeing the first signs of a reversal of the brain drain. We are trying to build a greener and more digital Greece.
– When you were in the opposition, you accused Tsipras of excessive handouts. Haven’t you also handed out a lot of one-off benefits?
The tax breaks and raises in salaries and pensions are permanent, not oneoff. And they stem from the economy’s growth. The various one-off benefits concern the “shopping card” and the “fuel pass” or emergency assistance for low-income pensioners or for subsidizing power bills – they were a response to a specific situation. This is one method of support in a tough situation, especially for those who need it most. Crises, whose impact is offset by such measures, are passing, while the abolition of 50 taxes and annual raises to pensions and salaries are lasting. We will persist with policies that permanently increase the incomes of citizens – the workers and the middle class – and the state will continue to be on the side of the citizens, especially the vulnerable ones, in a crisis. We kept society on its feet without jeopardizing the fiscal balance. The recent data show a reduction in social inequalities and more fiscal stability, and we are just one step away from investment grade. What do the various “Illuminati” who see a fiscal derailment every so often have to say about that?
– New Democracy’s nationwide ticket has been criticized for having too many government officials and also for having candidates without a firm ideological identity. How do you respond?
I wanted to do something different to what has been done so far. I wanted to reward men and women who have distinguished themselves with their professional achievements and not necessarily people who are widely recognizable, while also sending a message to society. That is why I chose people who stand out in fields that are priorities for us, such as the economy, civil protection, health, education and social policy. They have already earned a reputation in these fields and now we’re giving them an opportunity to try their hand in politics and to bring something new if they are elected.
– You have admitted that the government did not make equally rapid and bold progress in every area. What are the three main things we should expect in the first year of your new term, if you are elected to government?
Before we talk about individual policies, I would say that achieving investment grade is the top national goal. Rating agencies and the markets are waiting for the outcome of the elections, if we will press on with reforms or return to practices of the past. This is what emerges from the reports of international agencies these past few days. If the Greek people put their trust in us again, investment grade will be a matter of months. Can Mr Tsipras say the same thing? If we assume that a government emerges from the elections that tries to implement a program similar to what Mr Tsipras has described, not only would we need binoculars to even catch a glimpse of investment grade, it would lead to a big increase in taxes, to an excessive deficit and, ultimately, to new memorandums and bankruptcy.
As far as the three main things you asked about, I can sum it up in a few words: strengthening the National Health System, introducing more changes that will speed up the dispensation of justice and completing the telematics system on the national railway, together with the general upgrade of the entire network.