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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-11-24
CONTENTS
[01] Parliament committee begins discussion of 2015 state budget
Tuesday a.m.
[01] Parliament committee begins discussion of 2015 state budget
Tuesday a.m.
ANA-MPA - Discussion on the new state budget for 2015 will begin at
the Parliament's Economic Affairs Committee at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
The budget, which foresees a primary surplus of 3.0 pct of GDP (5.6
billion euros) and a growth rate of 2.9 pct, was tabled in Parliament
on November 21.
Party rapporteurs have been assigned as follows, among deputies:
Andreas Lykourentzos (ruling coalition majority New Democracy), Euclides
Tsakalotos (main opposition SYRIZA), Ioannis Koutsoukos (ruling coalition
minority PASOK), Nikolaos Nikolopoulos (Independent Greeks/ANEL), Elias
Panagiotaros (Golden Dawn/Chryssi Avgi), Assimina Xirotyri-Ekaterinari
(Democratic Left/DIMAR), Nikolaos Karathanassopoulos (Communist Party
of Greece/KKE), Dimitris (Mimis) Androulakis (Independent Democratic
Deputies). Each party will also have assigned speakers.
The Committee is expected to complete its deliberations by Thursday
evening (Nov. 27). The bill will be introduced in the Parliament's plenum
on December 3, with discussion expected to be completed by midnight of
December 7, when it will be put to the vote by roll call
It will be the first balanced budged on the general government's deficit,
while unemployment is projected to fall to 22.6 pct from 24.8 pct this
year. In 2014, the primary surplus will surpass a goal of 1.5 pct to
rise to 1.8 pct, while the economy will return to positive growth rates
for the first time after six years of contraction.
Presenting the budget on November 21, Finance Alternate Minister Christos
Staikouras had said the government will continue its policy of gradually
lifting tax burdens with a reduction of tax rates as fiscal goals are
achieved.
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