«At this moment, an on-site inspection is being conducted by a team responsible for the chemical analysis of the situation in case there are any leaks. We will have an update later today, and the public will be informed. It is clear that every possible measure is being taken—and already is being taken—to contain any such incident. We have not yet received any information other than from the Serbian side. Our assessment is that we will have more data later today,» said Minister of State George Gerapetritis in an interview with Piraeus Channel 1 when asked about the plane crash in Kavala.
Referring to «Power Pass,» he noted that, unfortunately, in the political arena, the true meaning of words has been lost, and particularly harsh and derogatory terms are used all too readily, a situation that derails any rational discussion, he said, “As the Prime Minister stated, the 60% of the additional burden borne by households will be reimbursed. This position is based on specific, objective data. Independent supervisory and regulatory bodies calculated the additional burden, which was estimated at approximately 450 million. On this basis, the 60% is already being offset by the aid, and in fact, the amount of aid is greater than originally planned, as it also includes the month of June.”.
«Citizens see this seven-month period as a way to recoup the 60% of the increase they had,» he noted, emphasizing that the opposition’s claim that citizens are not seeing the 600 euros is a huge mistake.
«All citizens will see the compensation in 60%. No country has compensated for all the losses caused by the increase in electricity rates. That would be completely impossible because, as everyone understands, it would be a fiscal time bomb. According to official data from the EU and the OECD, Greece is the country that, relative to its GDP, has provided the most support to its citizens to offset the rise in energy costs. »These are objective facts that are beyond dispute,” emphasized Mr. Gerapetritis.
The Minister of State emphasized that the government had been consistent in its announcement of up to 600 euros in compensation and up to 60%. «We are also the country that has provided the largest amounts of financial assistance to its citizens, and this was made possible by the fact that our economic indicators are performing well,» he said.
«Any additional fiscal space that is created will be channeled to the public, and furthermore, we will not jeopardize the country’s fiscal balance,» he added.
Furthermore, Mr. Gerapetritis made it clear that the experiments we have experienced in the recent past—which derailed the Greek economy with excessive benefits that, as he put it, undermine the stability of the economy, resulting in massive tax increases, will not be repeated by the current government.
Finally, he referred to the government’s initiatives in the energy sector and concluded by saying «We will work to serve the citizens, always ensuring support for the most vulnerable and the country’s self-sufficiency and self-reliance.».
