Protesters in Athens on Friday taking part in a demonstration against the voting of an omnibus bill that contains a package of economic changes and austerity measures. Credit Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters
Posted on 10/19/2015 1:43:47 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
The legislation covers some of the economic changes sought by the country's international creditors, which include raising the retirement age, cutting pensions, liberalizing the energy market, opening up cosseted professions, expanding a property tax that Greeks already revile, and pushing forward a stalled program to privatize state assets...
Greece is also eager for the debt relief that the country's creditors have promised to consider...
In the coming weeks, Greek lawmakers must endorse a second set of measures, including highly contentious plans to increase taxes for farmers and a broader overhaul of the Greek pension system, in exchange for an additional €1 billion, or about $1.13 billion, in loans. Farmers have already staged protests...
The most controversial changes are those affecting retirees... phasing out of early retirement for civil servants by 2022, so that all Greeks retire at 67, and introduces financial penalties for those who retire before the age of 67...
Another disputed measure, which had foreseen an increase on the tax paid on rental income by Greek property owners, was hastily withdrawn ahead of the vote after an outcry from the political opposition and the association representing Greek property owners, many of whom are struggling to rent out their properties in a persisting recession. A provision that would have obliged property owners to pay tax even on rental income they have not collected was regarded as particularly outrageous.
...officials were scrambling to identify measures that would replace plans for a 23 percent sales tax on private schools, which Mr. Tsipras had promised to suspend in response to a public outcry.
But a despised property tax, introduced four years ago as an emergency measure, has been broadened to include most buildings and surrounding plots of land.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Protesters in Athens on Friday taking part in a demonstration against the voting of an omnibus bill that contains a package of economic changes and austerity measures. Credit Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters
Poor babies. I will probablybe working into my70s, God willing. Lazy bastards.
I actually hired a Greek guy to clean my bathrooms tomorrow morning because we been ill and I was just not into it. Besides, the website offered 50% off so I hired the guy for 2 hours.
My wife said all things considered with Greece that I am cruel. I told her: You clean them then!
Same here.
:’)
;( ;( ;( ;( ;(
I wish I knew how to play the violin.
Where are the pro-communist freepers who think these cuts are evil?
The avalanche of immigrant jihadists into Europe should have brought them out of the woodwork, claiming that the Defender of the Faith’s imminent invasion of Poland was going to save western civilization. Apparently they’re either in Moscow for consultations, or realize no one will buy it around here. Lay low, set up some new rainy-day nicks, then start up again.
Maybe I’ll get a job there. :’)
Btw -this guy did a most excellent job. :)
He was almost an hour late but I live on a peninsula that if you miss the street will take you faraway.
:’)
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