Tsakalotos: Positive measures proof that Greece is turning a page in favour of the many

The package of permanent positive measures announced by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras are part of a comprehensive plan and proof that after exiting the memoranda, Greece is turning a page in favour of the many, Finance Minister, Euclid Tsakalotos, said on Monday in an exclusive statement to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA).

The Minister explained that some reactions inside and outside Greece were expected, as there are certain political forces stuck in austerity policy.

The full statement of Tsakalotos follows:

"The package of measures recently passed in Parliament has to be seen as part of a comprehensive plan. A balanced plan, which began to appear after the summer of 2018, creating fiscal space for both growth and the welfare state. Greece is turning a page in favour of the many.

Different reactions in the country were expected: relief for the many and doubts from the usual suspects: they blame us for populism and that we are not giving enough as if we had an alternative costed plan by the opposition that would allow more.

We had the strict reaction of ESM head, Klaus Regling, as well as that of Manfred Weber, EPP's candidate for President of the European Commission. German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz spoke of a success story and EU Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Pierre Moscovici, said that the Greek government always meets its commitments.

Macroeconomic policy is not neutral and there will obviously be reactions from political forces stuck in the policy of austerity. This is why, in addition to strategy, we have created the necessary alliances."