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Thursday, 26 December 2024
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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-12-15Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Parliament approves one-off cash benefit for low-income pensionersA large majority of Greece's lawmakers approved an amendment handing out a one-off cash benefit to low-income pensioners in a roll-call vote on Thursday.The amendment tabled by the labour and finance ministers was passed with the support of 196 MPs out of a total of 257, from the ruling coalition parties SYRIZA and Independent Greeks (ANEL), far-right Golden Dawn, the Democratic Alliance and the Communist Party of Greece, as well as three independent MPs. Sixty-one MPs of the main opposition New Democracy party abstained with a 'present' vote, while the opposition Potami party and four independent MPs were absent and the Union of Centrists walked out. The amendment distributes excess tax revenues collected in 2016, which surpasses the targets set under Greece's bailout programme, as a one-off payment. [02] Greek welfare measures don't affect fiscal outcomes in 2017-2018 but raise 'concerns,' institutions sayBRUSSELS (ANA/ M. Aroni) A preliminary assessment of the low-income pensioners' bonus and VAT cuts announced by the Greek government indicated that fiscal outcomes in 2017 and 2018 would not be affected but raised concerns about the country's commitments under the bailout programme, a spokesman for the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) indicated on Thursday."While those measures reduce the safety margin around the 2016 fiscal target, they are not expected to change significantly the projected fiscal outcomes in 2017 and 2018, although they raise risks regarding the targets, should the measures be extended in the future," he said. "According to a preliminary assessment by the institutions, that was distributed to the ESM members today, the proposed measures by the Greek government raise significant concerns on both process and substance as regards MoU commitments, especially regarding pensions," the spokesman said, presenting an assessment of the economic impact of the measures carried out by the four institutions representing Greece's lenders - the European Commission, the European Central Bank, the ESM and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Greece's parliament approved the proposed one-off benefit to pensioners by 196 votes on Thursday but the country's creditors on Wednesday announced their decision to suspend implementation of the short-term debt relief measures for Greece agreed at the Eurogroup on December 5, in response to the announcement of the measures. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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