The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is apparently standing by its positions regarding the Greek adjustment program and, in fact, deflecting most of the criticism it attracted -- most notably by EU Commissioner Pierre Moscovici -- after a very public presentation of those positions earlier this month. The IMF again refers to a pressing need to expand the tax base in Greece, where the tax-free ceiling for wage-earners, as it has previously noted, is very high by European standards, roughly 8,500 euros in income annuall
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is apparently standing by its positions regarding the Greek adjustment program and, in fact, deflecting most of the criticism it attracted -- most notably by EU Commissioner Pierre Moscovici -- after a very public presentation of those positions earlier this month. The IMF again refers to a pressing need to expand the tax base in Greece, where the tax-free ceiling for wage-earners, as it has previously noted, is very high by European standards, roughly 8,500 euros in income annually.
The Washington-based Fund also points to further social security reforms as necessary in the country, the recipient of three bailout programs since 2010.
The online Q&A format comes after two top IMF officials, including Poul Thomsen, published the Fund's detailed positions on the Greek program on the Fund's blog on Dec. 12.