The government is preparing the third support package, with a communication expected from the Prime Minister following the European Commission guidelines. Ursula Von Der Leien will present Wednesday's toolbox with recommendations for energy coupons and income support. Greece achieved for the 4th consecutive year an additional 2.5-2.8 billion euros, with the available amount depending on negotiations with the Commission. On the table are the continuation of the fuel pass until the end of May, the profit margin, as well as possible market pass and energy pass, while there is no reduction in EIC and VAT.
Analyticalally:
The Chrysostom Choofhi
The third package of support measures – after the margin of profit of the first package and the fuel pass and subsidies to diesel traffic, fertilisers and ferry companies – are ante portas. It is only necessary to finalize some things first to take its final form and to be announced, probably again by the Prime Minister who in his Sunday message wrote that the government is on the lookout for additional measures.
First, the guidelines should be given by the European Commission. The College of Commissioners meets on Wednesday morning and the Ursula Von Der Leien It will then announce the Commission's toolbox. Recommendations will include no obligations.
One of the directions – according to the information available – will be the support of households and businesses with energy coupons and income support.
In its proposals Commission a change in the taxation of electricity is expected to be lower than energy than fossil fuels and thus to ease electricity bills.
Another direction will be to reduce consumption. Driving lessons in an energy efficient way, days without a car in the city centre, one day a week compulsory teleworking, ticket reduction in MMM or free of charge for the most vulnerable, recommendations that remain highly doubtful whether the Greek government will adopt.
Also on Wednesday, it will be announced that Greece for the 4th consecutive year significantly exceeded the budgetary targets set. In other words, we have a surplus which, based on the latest calculations, is expected somewhere between 2.5 billion ECU.€ and 2.8 bis€. But an amount which, because of the existing budgetary rules, cannot be allocated to the government as a whole.
The amount available will depend on the outcome of the negotiations with the Commission – which have already begun – which will be announced immediately.
In essence, it should be decided what percentage of the surplus is a permanent income for the Greek state and that will be what can be given to support households and businesses.
The SUBSIDY They make it clear that part of the resources must be kept for a time of need (things in the Middle East remain fluid) and another must go for debt repayment.
In any case the government clears up two things:
- The measures he will take cannot be and will not be of the same extent and strength as those taken during the pandemic when the escape clause came into force.
He wants to avoid giving the impression that he succumbs to populist press crowns «Give it all» especially at the time the head of Eurogroup is Greek and with the country preparing in July to take over the EU presidency.
As to what the third package of measures will include, all possible measures are on the table:
The continuation of the fuel pass and diesel fuel subsidies in force until the end of May. Continued profit margin
In the shadow of accelerating inflation to a high of 3 years – 3.9% in March – adoption of additional measures.
Information measures such as market pass and energy pass are being examined with the government still wanting to avoid the reduction of EIC and VAT – even temporarily – with the blessings of the central banker Giannis Stournara who reminded the Daily of the study of the TE that the reduction of indirect taxes does not pass on to the consumer.
Information from the Ministry of Finance does not exclude intervention towards income support in the same period last year.
Last year with the publication of the final implementation of the budget of 2024 and the amount to be made available to Brussels, it did not take the government more than 2-3 days to announce the new measures.
Based on this window for the announcement of measures, it opens from the end of the week...
Source: skai.gr
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