The multi-bill with the 17 prior actions

The aim is for the Plenary to vote the multi-bill by the end of the week, ahead of the May 24th Eurogroup meeting.

Τhe package of indirect taxesinclude among others VAT hike from 23% to 24%, a 5% fee on telephone bills, tax on cable TV, a tax of 3 euros per kilo on coffee, an increase in excise tax and tax on cigarettes of 50 cents to 1 euro per pack.

Speaking to Sunday’s Kathimerini newspaper, European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said that medium- and long-term debt relief measures would not be finalized by May 24 but that a “roadmap” of steps to reduce Greece’s repayments would be ready, with the aim of convincing the IMF to retain its role in the Greek program.

Greece also has to tie up some loose ends by next week’s Eurogroup, such as legislating another set of tax rises worth 1 percent of gross domestic product. Dombrovskis indicated that Athens had ignored the Commission’s advice that spending cuts would have damaged the country’s growth potential less than tax hikes.