Final countdown for finalising economic package to be unveiled at TIF

The government is close to finalising the package of economic measures that will be unveiled by the prime minister at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) on September 10, while much will be decided in the first week of September when three crucial figures regarding the growth of the Greek economy will be released.

Much will depend on whether the strong performance of tourism and public revenues continues and whether growth rates continue to exceed forecasts, as this will increase the fiscal space available for the measures that can be announced. Another significant factor will be whether the need to subsidise energy rates continues to increase.

The government's economic team is optimistic that there will be sufficient fiscal space for significant announcements, while the proposals under consideration include both permanent measures and one-off support measures for households and businesses, especially vulnerable groups, in the face of high prices and inflationary pressures.

Possible permanent measures may include the abolition of certain taxes and levies on income, an increase in the minimum wage and pension increases.

Skrekas: Government will support natural gas consumers in the winter

"We will support natural gas consumers this winter against the explosive increase in prices," Environment and Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas said on SKAI television on Sunday morning, in response to questions about the 700,000 households using natural gas in Greece.

"The prime minister's orders are to examine scenarios for supporting households that use natural gas because we cannot and must not leave households unable to heat their homes in the heart of winter," Skrekas said.

He noted that in the previous year, these households had been supported via an increased heating benefit that had included natural gas consumers and by subsidies of natural gas bills.

For this year, Skrekas said the discussion was still underway with the finance ministry and that more will be announced after the conclusion of the collaboration with the ministry's leadership and the prime minister's approval and "once we arrive at the fairest and more focused support measures for those that have the greatest need in the coming winter."