FM Hardouvelis Coments on Structural Economic Efforts

As reported by ANA-MPA, the Finance Minister believes that reforms will carry a larger structural, rather than fiscal duty. Hardouvelis stated, "In short, we have gone through most of the fiscal beating...We're not over yet... The path of reforms does not end with the adjustment programme".

Hardouvelis discussed that employment levels and growth is an issue not just for the government to handle, "It is an affair of the Parliament, of civil society, as well as of every single businessman, professional, worker. Of every citizen. Growth is a wager for the Greeks altogether".

The Finance Minister spoke of the omnibus draft bill and underlined the tax authorities' newly implemented act, that can delay or disband AFM numbers of individuals working in the business sector, under three criteria.

This includes if a party has been found guilty of tax evasion, has provided wrong information in tax registry number applications, or if an individual has deferred business transactions. Hardouvelis stated that this new effort does not include taxpayers who owe tax money to the state, as long as the outstanding funds are not a result of tax evasion.

Hardouvelis also expressed his optimism regarding the Public Revenue General Secretariat position, along with the creation of 400 new job positions, that will secure and revamp the tax auditing sector's productiveness. The Finance Minister noted that banks will not be allowed to charge bankers a fee for application processing regarding loan relief.