Debt payment plans put on ice

The government appears to be shelving its plans for the restructuring of debts to the tax authorities and social security funds, according to the European Commission's report on Wednesday, even though officials in Athens had consistently said over the last few weeks that the clauses related to those plans would be voted immediately and start applying within March.

Labor Minister Effie Achtsioglou and her alternate, Tasos Petropoulos, deliberately presented the clause for the social security dues as being virtually ready; it would have benefited hundreds of thousands of self-employed professionals, farmers and freelancers, allowing them to restructure their debts to the funds through more tranches and to have their original dues and penalties reduced. In recent days there were even leaks about the ministry examining the inclusion of the debts not only of individuals but also...