Greece In Hurry To Implement Reforms
Under the pressure of the Troika, which threatens with the non-disbursement of the next aid tranche, the Greek Finance Minister pledged yesterday to speed up structural reforms.
The measures, which must be adopted before the decision on the July 21 agreement (late October), were announced as an emergency plan.
However, the new package is substantially –with few amendments- the memorandum of understanding, which E.Venizelos signed in early July, providing strict payroll, privatizations, job reserve and dismissals, changes in labour agreements and professions.
But, at the implementation of the memorandum, several ministers smoothed measures, so finally the Troika was not happy at all with Greek progress, at the review of Greek economy last week.
Now, Greece attempts to regain lost ground, promising immediate action on particular fields such as:
* Privatizations
It has committed to raise €5 billion in 2011 and €28 billion by 2014. The first package would include the extension of concession of betting company OPAP, Athens International Airport, new licenses of mobile telephone, sale of gas company DEPA and Hellenic Petroleum, and development of real estate assets.
* Public Organization Restructuring
The government accelerates the restructuring of organizations of broader public sector.
* Uniform Payroll
The payroll coincides with the new assessment scheme.
* Financial Management
Any public organization that does not declare its expenditure to the Treasury would be no longer subsidized by the State.
* Working Reserve
Greece promotes the measure of labour reserve in broader public sector.
* Closed Professions
There would be a full deregulation of closed professions.
* Tax System
It would be announced in three weeks, focusing on rates and VAT collection.
(capital.gr)