PM A. Tsipras presents 11 legislative initiatives, injects cabinet with optimism

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced 11 legislative actions for the near future during his meeting with the cabinet of ministers on Wednesday. The actions are to be implemented over the coming period and include mainly draft laws on the social security, the creation of a development bank, a new primary healthcare system within the National Health System, the development of the social economy and the tabling of a draft law on research, the modernization of the public works system and the public contracts as well as a draft law against tobacco and fuel smuggling.

He also announced the rapid developments in the crucial issue of tax evasion and revealed that the government’s general secretary had a meeting abroad last week with Herve Falciani from who he received a list with thousands of international transactions which he handed over to the prosecutor. The Law on voluntary disclosure of tax evasion  will come through in January.

The 11 measures are as follows:

1. Application of the law on TV licenses despite the fact that there is no concensus. The goal is to restructure the National Council of Radio and Television (ESR) so that the licensing process can start in January.

2. New development law in January with the simultaneous transformation of the National Fund for Entrepreneurship and Development (ETEAM) to a public development fund.

3. Legislation for the modernization of public administration is ready and needs to be submitted.

4. Voting on the regulation on the card for the uninsured and reforms in the health sector.

5. The submission of the legislation for the social economy and entrepreneurship.

6. Submitting the legislation on research, viewed as an important tool for development.

7. Submission of the legislation for public works production to include: a) a joint public works licensing system; b) a monitoring system; c) an electronic system of toll charges dependent on the kilometers covered by the driver.

8. Legislation for public works contracts and tenders.

9. Submission of a vote on combatting smuggled tobacco.

10. A joint ministerial decree on illegal fuel trade.

11. Last-chance law on voluntary disclosure of tax evasion whereby the tax evader will be able to come clean.