Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has not yet finalized the main points that he intends to address tomorrow morning when he is going to speak at the opening ceremony of the 79th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), but it is certain that he will promise tax relief. Sources indicate that after the talks with the representatives of Greece’s international creditors in Paris, there is no clear indication on their stance during the next evaluation meeting in Athens at the end of September. Despite failing to secure the green light from the Troika, Samaras is said to be set on his intention to announce tax relief for Greek citizens. In his speech on Saturday, he is expected to announce a 30% reduction on heating oil consumption tax and a 50% cut in a solidarity levy on income. He is also expected to unveil changes to the new unified property tax (ENFIA) that had caused an uproar when it was first introduced, as there were many mistakes in the way property values were calculated. The new revised ENFIA, which will also include discounts for owners of vacant properties, is to be submitted in Parliament on Monday and the Prime Minister intends to make reference to this issue during his speech. In addition, Samaras is expected to announce that outstanding tax debts or debts to social security funds can be paid in up to 100 installments, instead of 24 today. Although the focus of his speech will be on tax breaks, the Premier is expected to also outline a long-term plan for boosting growth and creating jobs. Samaras aims to show that the government is sensitive to the plight of austerity-weary citizens. Moreover, the apparent surge of main left-wing opposition party SYRIZA in recent opinion polls is also a serious concern for the coalition government.
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