The Fuel Pass 2 platform is expected to open by the end of the week and probably over the weekend, Finance Minister Christos Staikouras told SKAI yesterday.

The cost of the intervention is 200 million euros and, according to the minister, will cover more vehicles (3.1 million vehicles out of a total of 3.5 million), with a larger percentage of beneficiaries expected to benefit from the subsidy. with respect to the first pass of fuel.

Beneficiaries will receive financial support at the beginning of August and receive a €15 bonus when using a digital card.

Perhaps, until August 31, a 3% discount on the lump-sum payment of income tax will also be in effect.

At the same time, Mr. Staikouras left open the possibility that the 3 percent discount on the lump sum payment of income tax will be valid until August 31, after the deadline for filing returns has been extended from July 29. This will be assessed by Thursday, when an extension must be voted on due to the closure of parliament, he said.

Regarding the response to the energy crisis, he underlined that the base case is for €8.5 billion in subsidies by the end of the year for electricity, natural gas and fuels. Part of this amount, he explained, will come from the republican budget, another from the Energy Transition Fund, and a third from the taxation of excess profits.

He added that there were also extreme scenarios for natural gas in case Russia turned off the tap completely. In this case, he said, more subsidies than 8.5 billion euros would be needed, and financial targets for 2022 and 2023 would need to be revised.

At the same time, he focused on state budget revenues: “The fees are encouraging, the ship of the Greek economy is sailing into a safe harbor: high growth rates, record investments and this year the only country in Europe with a double-digit investment rate, a decrease in unemployment and a twofold increase in the minimum wage fees”

He also stressed that the big problem is rising inflation: “It makes sense this year with this global crisis, it will gradually fade away, but the problem is in the pocket of citizens.”