Monday, February 23, 2015

Greece to send list of reforms Tuesday morning

First entry: 23 February 2015
Greece to send list of reforms Tuesday morning
Greek officials said Monday evening they will send a list of reforms to the country's creditors for approval Tuesday morning and will communicate by teleconference Tuesday afternoon.
The o0fficials claim the list is compatible with the programme Syriza, then the main opposition party and now the senior coalition partner, unveiled in September 2014.
According to the officials, the reforms list contain "the whole programme concerning the fight against the humanitarian crisis."  i.e. free electricity, up to 3600 KWh per year, to 300,000 households; meal coupons, also to 300,000 households; free healthcare and significant reduction in contributions towards the costs of drugs for the poor; free, or almost free, transport with annual cards.
The list also gives priority to better repayment terms for loans and owed back taxes, although a leaked draft of the list says "no moral hazard," that is, the new provisions wouldn't apply to those who are able now to pay but are withholding payjments until the better terms apply.
The government will also stop auctions of foreclosed main residences.
The list includes "structural reforms," such as a fairer tax system, a crackdown on tax evasion, illicit trade _ especially in fuel and tobacco _ and a restructuring of the public sector to combat bureaucracy.
Again, a leaked draft, which authorities subsequently claimed was not final, said that re-hiring civil servants fired by the previous government is no longer an option, at least at this stage.
Absentis any mention of raising the minimum wage.

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