Greek parliament passes loan and transport reform amendments

The Greek parliament debated a bill from the Ministry of Finance that includes two major amendments. One amendment modifies the Katselei loan law, introducing a new interest‑calculation method that reduces monthly instalments and lowers the capital balance by treating over‑payments as equal future instalments, aiming to ease borrowers’ debt burdens.

Another amendment reshapes the governance of Thessaloniki’s urban transport operator OASTH. It transfers 51% of OASTH’s state‑owned shares to the Transport Projects Organization (OSETH), making OSETH the principal shareholder and granting it decisive voting rights on key decisions. The same provision exempts state subsidies granted to OASTH since July 2017 from VAT and allows recovery of previously paid VAT, potentially returning tens of millions of euros to the operator. The changes are part of a broader effort to address the energy crisis and improve fiscal and infrastructure management.