Elections and referendum… not on the Greek govt's agenda

Interior Minister Nikos Voutsis told private ANT1 TV on Wednesday that “there is no agreement (with international creditors) until there is a package deal.”

“That means that if there is no final agreement, nothing will apply because we are not proceeding step by step,” he said while underlining that a full package would be made known over the next few days. He said that there will be no more prerequisites for an agreement with the main deal to be reached after June concerning debt and growth.

He reassured that the government has the money to pay salaries and pensions adding that the crucial period is from May 29 to June 6 when the first IMF installment needs to be paid.

Voutsis said that the main issue foiling negotiations is the primary surplus. “If they insist on a 2-2.5% primary surplus for 2015-2016 and a 3.5% surplus for the next years, instead of the 0.8-1% originally planned, that will be an obstacle in negotiations,” he said.

Concerning VAT, Voutsis said that if Greece’s international creditors from the European Commission, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund insist on a 20-21% single rate, then the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) government may not proceed to a single rate and keep the current system with a 23% VAT ceiling.

The joint single property tax (ENFIA) will be maintained, he said, but with some important changes, while real estate objective values will be reduced by 20-30%.