By T. Tsiros
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The government is pointing to this month for the tabling of a draft amendment foreseeing a 120-payment installment plan for taxpayers and businesses to cover arrears to the tax bureau and social security funds, a long-awaited internal "debt relief" measure that, however, will come under the close scrutiny of European creditors.
According to reports, the Tsipras government wants to make sure that strict income and asset criteria prevent so-called "strategic defaulters" from taking advantage of yet another installment or debt forgiveness plan, something that uncommon in Greece over the past few decades.
Speaking on Tuesday, Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and the government spokesman both offered assurances that the draft legislation will include such safeguards, while the former went so far as claiming that the drawing up of the long-awaited bill is not an object of negotiations with creditors.
"It's our issue. Certainly, the institutions (European creditors) are particularly interested in decision that do not negatively affect the tax and contributions payment culture," he said, pointing to the end of April for the draft bill's tabling in Parliament.
