Greek Main Opposition Criticizes Government For Handling Of Energy Crisis

The Greek main opposition on Friday blamed the government for "making a deliberate political choice to plunder society in the energy sector." Nasos Iliopoulos, a spokesman for Syriza, accused the ruling New Democracy party of giving subsidies to Greeks from money taken from them

ATHENS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2022 ) :The Greek main opposition on Friday blamed the government for "making a deliberate political choice to plunder society in the energy sector." Nasos Iliopoulos, a spokesman for Syriza, accused the ruling New Democracy party of giving subsidies to Greeks from money taken from them.

"The money for the subsidies that the government is giving to keep prices down is taken from society at a time when there are increasing tax revenues, which from value-added tax alone amount to 2.5 billion.

"And inflation is running at 11-12%, when the ruling New Democracy party refuses to reduce the excise tax on fuel or the VAT on basic foodstuffs," he told leftist radio station Sto Kokkino.

If the Public Power Corporation, a Greek power producer and electricity supply company, was under public control, prices would be restrained, he said.

"It is irrational not to follow the model of Spain and Portugal. All this time, these two countries pay 100 to 170 per megawatt hour, and in Greece, we pay 400 to 650," he added.