It seems that more austerity than this the Greeks can not suffer. And for this they are ready to vote for the radical candidate Alexis Tsipras in the next elections on June 17th. According to a survey by the Greek analyst firm Publicisssue il Syriza party would win the elections with 30% of the votes in favour. New Democracy, Antonis Samaras' party in favor of the strict measures imposed by the EU and which had obtained the highest number of votes in the last elections, would not exceed the 26%. supply of the socialist Evangelos Venizelos, who negotiated the measures with the Troika and who is in fact in favor of pursuing the European path, is given to the 15%. If these numbers turn out to be true, the radical party would still have to ally itself with other political forces to form the new executive.
The data is also confirmed by another survey which shows that 85% of Greek citizens are in favor of staying in the euro while 62% are against the bailout plan as agreed with the Troika. And indeed the same Tsipras reiterated today in interview which has no intention of abandoning the single currency. “If we go back to the drachma, the rich will have taken their euros abroad and will be able to buy anything in Greece. fWe will do everything to avoid this scenario”.
The radical leader also reiterated one of the key points of his program: "What we will do is cancel those measures that are sinking us into a deep recession and renegotiate at the European level the changes that will improve the difficult economic situation of Greece and Europe ”. Yesterday, on the blog of journalist Gad Lerner, the 40 points of Tsipras' electoral program were published. We list them below:
1. Conduct a public debt audit. Renegotiate interest and suspend payments until the economy recovers and growth and jobs return.
2. Demand from the EU a change in the role of the ECB so that it directly finances states and public investment programmes.
3. Raise income tax to 75% for all income above half a million euros a year.
4. Change the electoral law so that parliamentary representation is truly proportional.
5. Increase in corporate taxes for large companies, at least up to the European average.
6. Adopt a financial transaction tax and also a special tax on luxury goods.
7. Prohibit speculative financial derivatives such as swaps and CDS.
8. Abolish the tax privileges enjoyed by the Church and shipowners.
9. Fight banking secrecy and capital flight abroad.
10. Drastically cut military spending.
11. Raise the minimum wage to the level it had before the cuts (751 euros gross per month).
12. Use government, bank and church buildings to house the homeless.
13. Open canteens in public schools to offer free breakfast and lunch to children.
14. Provide free public health care to the unemployed, homeless or without adequate income.
15. Grants of up to 30% of their income for families who cannot afford mortgages.
16. Increase benefits for the unemployed. Increase social protection for single parents, the elderly, the disabled and families with no income.
17. Tax relief for basic necessities.
18. Nationalization of banks.
19. Nationalize ex-public companies in strategic sectors for the country's growth (railways, airports, post offices, water…).
20. Betting on renewable energies and environmental protection.
21. Equal pay for men and women.
22. Limit the succession of precarious contracts and push for permanent contracts.
23. Extend job and wage protection for part-time workers.
24. Retrieve collective agreements.
25. Increase labor inspections and requirements for companies entering public tenders.
26. Reform the constitution to ensure the separation of church and state and the protection of the right to education, health care and the environment.
27. Subject European treaties and other relevant agreements to binding referendums.
28. Abolition of all privileges of deputies. Remove the special legal protection of ministers and allow courts to prosecute members of government.
29. Demilitarize the Coast Guard and disband the riot special forces. Prohibit the presence of policemen with their faces covered or with firearms at demonstrations. Change police courses to focus on social issues such as immigration, drugs or social inclusion.
30. Ensure human rights in migrant detention centres.
31. Facilitate the family recomposition of migrants. To allow them, including illegal immigrants, to have full access to health care and education.
32. Decriminalize drug use, fighting only trafficking. Increase funding for detox centers.
33. Regulate the right to conscientious objection in military service.
34. Increase public health funds up to the levels of the rest of the EU (the European average is 6% of GDP and Greece spends only 3).
35. Eliminate the co-payments paid by citizens in the health service.
36. Nationalize private hospitals. Eliminate all private participation in the public health system.
37. Withdrawal of Greek troops from Afghanistan and the Balkans: no soldiers outside the borders of Greece.
38. Abolish military cooperation agreements with Israel. Support the creation of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.
39. Negotiate a stable deal with Turkey.
40. Close all foreign bases in Greece and exit NATO.
(CC)
