On Saturday, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras tried to gather the support of his party members and MPs ahead of a confidence vote on Monday, while slamming the stance of main opposition party SYRIZA, during an event to mark the 40th anniversary of his New Democracy party.
Samaras said his party’s philosophy is to reduce taxes and promised a new round of tax cuts, adding that he wants to help mid-level incomes and farmers.
He also reiterated his belief that Greece will not need a new bailout loan and added that the country will reach the pre-crisis GDP by 2020 with the help of a growth plan developed by the government.
“The growth plan we submitted foresees that we will have reached the pre-crisis GDP levels by 2020,” the Prime Minister said during his speech at the Onassis Cultural Center in southern Athens.
Commenting on the government’s controversial performance evaluation plan for civil servants that has been met with steadfast opposition from unions and opposition-backed mayors, Samaras said the plan is actually “in their favor, not against them.”
Turning his criticism towards renegade party MPs, he said: “People are also tough on our own MPs and even some ministers, who instead of supporting the national effort, they play personal games. Instead of fixing any mistakes, they rush to advertise their opposition to the measure.”
SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras, in an apparent jab against Samaras, said that some politicians are pretending to have changed but, if voted into power, will cost Greece dearly.
“There are those who wore the smile of an actor, the cross of a Christian and the clothes of a European…and are putting up a show of bad taste which will cost the country,” Tsipras said, adding that Greeks “will not risk it. They’ve had enough of fake promises that led to nightmares.”
On Monday, the Parliament will begin discussion on the confidence vote submitted by the government earlier this week.
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