He accused him of a “hidden program of a new tax raid.” SYRIZA-PSgovernment representative Akis Shertsos, three days before the May 21 elections, speaking on SKAI radio. “Mr. Mitsotakis and the ND warping mechanism are once again trying to deceive the citizens,” Popi Tsapanidou replies.

At a time when the pre-election period is in full swing, the interview of Giorgos Katrugalos has become the occasion for a new confrontation between the government and SYRIZA.

“Last night, Mr. Katrugalos revealed another hidden aspect of the Special Purpose Government and Total Annihilation proposed by Mr. Tsipras: i.e. reinstatement of the Katrugalos law to rate self-employed workers’ insurance premiums up to 20% of their annual income.“, – emphasizes the representative of the government in his statement. Akis Shertsos.

“We have repeatedly warned that the cost-free SYRIZA program will not “come out” without a new tax raid or new loans, deficits, debt and, ultimately, new oversight. As the election approaches, it appears that they have learned nothing from the defeat of 2019 and all they want is to return to complete what they failed in the previous term. On Sunday we say yes to progress and progress for all of us and no for the second time to disaster,” says Mr. Schertzos.

Tzapanidu: Mechanism of distortion from NE

“In the face of fears that the elections will coincide with the end of the 3rd week of the month and it is likely that most middle-class freelancers will go to the polls without a euro in their pocket, Mr. Mitsotakis and the ND distortion mechanism is once again trying to deceive the citizens,” the press emphasizes. -Secretary of SYRIZA-PS. Popi Tzapanidugovernment spokesman Akis Shertsos replied.

“The SYRIZA program does not provide for a change in the burden on employees and the self-employed in terms of their insurance premiums., which, after all, has been published for a long time, and everyone has the opportunity to study it,” explains Ms. Tsapanidou and adds: “The changes that he foresees for their lives are known: an increase in income with an increase in tax – freedom and the abolition of income tax . Lower prices with reduced VAT and VAT. Debt settlement and suspension of first home auctions. And a just state, next to their needs.”

Katrugalos’ statement

“The logic of the insurance reform was that no matter how much an employee, an employee or a worker pays – 20% of his salary – the self-employed should also pay. This led to the fact that in 80% of cases the insurance premiums were lower than they paid before,” the SYRIZA candidate said yesterday. George Katrugalos talking about the insurance law of the SYRIZA-ANEL government in an interview with BLUSKY.

And he continued: “Mr. Vrutsis came and implemented the policy of New Democracy, that is, freelancers will no longer pay based on some objective criterion – either time or income, but based on certain classes of insurance.” And he stressed that “it is quite logical that the insurance obligation is tied to income, and not to an arbitrary amount.”

“We should have a policy in favor of the 80%, not the few. The second argument is that there should really be a connection, contribution insurance with income, for the reason that when we have a single fund, different rules cannot apply to employees and freelancers (…). Our commitment is to rebuild a system that will benefit the many and not the few (…). We also offer €10,000 tax free for freelancers. For this reason, we will have an objective relationship between the income of both employees and freelancers,” added Mr. Katrugalos in his same televised speech.

“I expressed my personal opinion”

On Thursday morning, Mr. Katrugalos responded with a statement on Twitter saying that “in regards to contributions, I expressed my personal opinion that it is better that most people pay less and that no one is overwhelmed.”

His statement is detailed:

The ND tries not to discuss the controversial and essential, but to form the agenda with pseudo-issues of its construction.

Positions of SYRIZA-PS on insurance are in our program. We are committed to empowering retirees with the 13th pension, the return…

— George Katrugalos (@gkatr) May 18, 2023

“ND tries not to discuss the controversial and essential, but to form the agenda with pseudo-issues of its construction.

Positions of SYRIZA-PS on insurance are in our program. We are committed to strengthening pensioners with a 13th pension, returning retrospectives and allowances to those with a personal difference, and abolishing the privatization of supplementary insurance.

With regard to contributions, I expressed my personal opinion that it is better that most people pay less and that no one is overburdened.

The SYRIZA program, which has been published for a long time and everyone has the opportunity to get acquainted with it, does not provide for a change in the burden on self-employed or employees in relation to their insurance premiums.

The changes he foresees for their lives are known:

Increasing revenues by increasing non-taxable and eliminating business tax.

Lower prices with reduced VAT and VAT.

Repayment of debts with the suspension of auctions for the sale of the first home.

And a just state, next to their needs.”