SYRIZA Spokesperson: "First Time I See So Much Anxiety on Panels About Wealth Taxation"

The spokesperson for Greece's SYRIZA party, Theoni Koufonikolákou, has voiced surprise at the level of anxiety displayed on television panels regarding the taxation of wealth. She suggested that this reaction indicates a sensitivity around the issue, contrasting it with what she described as the government's focus on tax breaks for the wealthy.

Koufonikolákou presented SYRIZA's platform as a modern approach focused on rebuilding the social state and reforming the country's fiscal structure. She argued that significant funds could be recovered by tackling corruption, estimating that public funding losses due to corruption range from 25-30%. She questioned the government's spending priorities, particularly its allocation of billions of euros towards vouchers and tax exemptions for the wealthy, while SYRIZA would direct such resources towards targeted social programs.

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For the first time, I see so much anxiety on the panels about wealth taxation.

Regarding tax policy, Koufonikolákou stated SYRIZA's commitment to lowering tax rates for wage earners, who she believes have disproportionately borne the burden of fiscal consolidation. Conversely, the party aims to increase taxes on income derived from mobile assets, dividends, and capital gains, rather than from wages, business activities, or real estate. She also mentioned specific proposals for wage increases and the inclusion of educators in special salary scales.

Koufonikolákou stressed that a responsible approach requires detailed data from the state's accounting services to refine these proposals. She alluded to Alexis Tsipras's proposals for a 500-euro wage increase and the inclusion of nurses, indicating a focus on targeted measures for public sector workers. The party's stance emphasizes a need for precise mapping and data-driven policy-making.

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We want to reduce the rates concerning wage labor, as the employed have borne the burden of fiscal consolidation quite a bit, and increase income tax from property that does not come from wage labor or business activity, nor from real estate.