Antonis Samaras criticizes Greek government economic policy

Former Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has launched a sharp critique of Kyriakos Mitsotakis's administration, accusing the government of following a “managerial, neoliberal policy” that ignores the cost-of-living crisis.

Samaras argues that current inflation is not solely due to international developments but is exacerbated by government policy aimed at maintaining high primary surpluses and artificially reducing public debt. He advocates for “social liberalism,” which requires state intervention to support households and small-to-medium enterprises.

To combat rising costs, Samaras proposed several tax reductions, including: • Lowering the Special Consumption Tax on fuel, noting that Greece’s rate of 70 cents per liter is nearly double the EU minimum of 36 cents. • Reducing VAT on fuel from 24% to 15%. • Lowering the top VAT rate from 24% to 23%. • Moving the hospitality sector to a 13% VAT rate.

He also highlighted the struggles of small businesses, noting that their costs have increased by approximately 35% over the last two years, and criticized recent debt restructuring measures as ineffective.