GES2023: ‘Mitsotakis gov’t did not learn anything from the memorandum era,’ Kasselakis says

SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Stefanos Kasselakis criticized the Mitsotakis government for its economic policy, in an address at the 34th Annual Greek Summit organized by the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce, noting that the government did not learn its lessons from the economic crisis of the previous decade.

Specifically, the main opposition leader said, “The Greek government seems to have learned nothing from what happened in the country. Using the recipes we lived with through the dark times, it is voluntarily imposing austerity at least until 2026.”

Kasselakis charged that the growth using EU funds “go to the few and bring growth at the expense of many, who will experience the fiscal adjustment that has already raised the tax-to-GDP rate to a 25-year record with no prospect of reduction.” Greece, he said, has ‘agreed’ to the second largest fiscal discipline in the EU, with primary surpluses reaching 7.5% of GDP in the 5-year period 2021-2026.

When SYRIZA came to power, he said, “it set a goal to finally get the country out of (a) downward spiral” previous governments had begun. “And it succeeded, with an unprecedented debt settlement, positive growth rates, full public coffers and an increased minimum wage,” he underlined.

The 34th Greek Economic Summit-GES2023 is organized by the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Athens Exchange Group, and in strategic partnership with the Atlantic Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.