The government's intent to dole out a 1.4-billion-euro “social dividend” before the end of the year dominated debate in Parliament on Monday afternoon, with main opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis stepping up his party’s condemnation of very high tax rates imposed by the leftist-rightist coalition government on Greece’s middle classes.
“… it (the government) took much from one pocket only give little to the other (pocket) … your job is to vie for lower (primary budget) surpluses, and not to rejoice when the surpluses are greater than what you have agreed to (with creditors),” the New Democracy party (ND) leader said.
Nevertheless, in previous comments last week ND cadres signaled that the party would vote in favor of the social benefit.
“You say you are handing out 1.4 billion (euros). In reality the social dividend is 720 million. You say the excess surplus comes from economic growth. Not only is there no excess surplus due to growth, but there is over-taxation because you miss growth targets,” Mitsotakis said.
