European Commission approved a plan to stabilize public finances in Greece and reduce public deficits. Greece has committed over two years to reduce the public deficit to four times. Currently, the state budget deficit of Greece is 12,7% of GDP.
Government of Greece of the European Commission presented a program of stabilization of public finances for the period 2010-2013 gg. The plan envisages a phased reduction in fiscal deficit in 2010 - up 8.7% of GDP., In 2011 - up 5.6% in 2012 - up 2.8%, and finally, in 2013 -- to 2%.
Following the 2009 public deficit of Greece was 12,5% of GDP and national debt exceeded 112% of GDP, amounted to EUR300 billion, the Government has developed a radical austerity measures of public funds to avert a looming default. These measures include, inter alia, the abolition of tax benefits, reducing salaries and freezing hiring in the public sector.
January 25 Greece has completed the deployment of public debt bonds with maturity of five years worth EUR8 billion, received no application for EUR25 million placement of new country plans in February. At this time, according to the director general of the Greek Agency for Management of Public Debt Spyros Papanicolaou, will be posted Eurobonds with maturity of 10 years. Determine the final amount of placement after the government intends to study the reaction of the market.
"The European Commission recommends Greece to prepare a comprehensive package of structural reforms to improve governance, progress in reforming the pension system and health care, improving labor market functioning and efficiency of the formation of wages," - said in a statement the EC. Greece requested to send 10% of funds from the expenditure side of the current budget in reserve for unforeseen problems in the future.
EU calls on Greece to reduce the average salaries of budget, including salaries of the central government, local governments, public organizations and other state institutions, reduce other costs in the state budget and improve tax collection. French Prime Minister Francois Fillon has outlined a pan-European plan to stabilize the situation in Greece, including, inter alia, strengthening the fight against tax evasion and the introduction of a new tax on luxury.
EU Commissioner for Economy and Monetary Policy Joaquin Almuniya called Athens achievable goal, but not easy. "The European Commission shares the ambitious plan to reduce the budget deficit, correction of fiscal imbalances and reforming the economy, which has set itself the Government of Greece", - he said.
However the European Commission decided to establish a financial oversight over Greece. The Greek authorities will be reporting all the steps they will take. In the first report, to be submitted in mid-March, Athens should detail the measures to reduce the budget deficit. And since mid-April, Greece will publish quarterly reports on the implementation of planned programs. Click to continue »