Government Examining New Package of Positive Measures To Be Announced After Easter

Тhe government is examining a package of additional positive measures that are expected to be announced after the Easter holidays, sources said on Wednesday. Some of these measures will be permanent and some will be one-off actions, while the government is also mulling the reintroduction of a discount for those that pay their taxes up front and in full, instead of opting for installments, as a reward to prompt tax payers.

The new round of positive measures was discussed on Wednesday at a meeting between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos. According to sources, specific announcements will be made after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras returns from China, which he will visit from April 25 to 27 with a delegation of ministers. The more permanent measures could include a reduction of VAT rates, a reduction of the basic income tax rate and additional corrections to ENFIA (Real Estate Property Tax).

The "right" to take new positive measures arises because the primary surplus target has been greatly exceeded once again, sources said. The fact that the primary surplus target has been repeatedly outperformed in recent years makes finance ministry sources speak of a "structural problem" in deciding the size of surpluses. The fact that the estimates of  both the ministry and the institutions are constantly being proven wrong has already triggered a discussion process to find which part of the surplus has permanent and repeating features.