PASOK spokesperson Tsoukalas attacks Mitsotakis over economy, high prices, widow pensions and national security lapses
PASOK-KINAL press spokesman Kostas Tsoukalas launched a broadside against Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Sunday, accusing the government of painting a false picture of the economy while high prices fuel cartel profits and state profiteering through indirect taxes.
Economy and high prices
Responding to the prime minister's Sunday social media post, Tsoukalas argued that the economy is not outperforming, as Mitsotakis claims, but that high prices are. He cited Greece's low rankings in competitiveness and productivity, a high current account deficit, and collapsed purchasing power as evidence.
The economy is not outperforming, Mr Mitsotakis. High prices are outperforming and leading to cartel super-profits and state profiteering through indirect taxes.
The 2,000 product codes
Tsoukalas mocked Mitsotakis's reference to stable prices on 2,000 product codes for two months, saying neither Development Minister Theodorikakos nor the Hellenic Supermarket Union knows which products they are. He added that consumers will not know them either, "unless they hire a detective."
He is keeping those codes as a surprise, because neither Mr Theodorikakos nor the Supermarket Union knows them. According to the Development Ministry's announcements, consumers won't know them to buy them, unless they hire a detective.
Widow's pensions
On widow's pensions, Tsoukalas asked why it took seven years to abolish a deeply unfair provision. He said if the government claims there was no money, it vindicates former minister Katrougkalos and the previous government that legislated the pension cuts. Otherwise, he demanded an explanation for why the government issued the Tsakloglou circular, which applied the provisions even more harshly, cutting an entire national pension.
National security
Tsoukalas also attacked the prime minister's fitness on national security. He pointed to revelations of gaps in security protocols and the embarrassment of the General Secretary of National Security being deceived by Russian pranksters. He questioned whether Mitsotakis still considers himself the most suitable to answer the phone at 3 a.m., and asked if he consulted national security advisor Dokos during the Kasos incident that led to the withdrawal of a cable-laying operation.
OPECEPE scandal
Finally, Tsoukalas noted the conviction of Melas, a New Democracy candidate for the European Parliament, in the OPECEPE scandal. He suggested the news had not yet reached the Maximos Mansion, adding that the prime minister would have read about it but was not informed.
