Debate on property tax bill put off to allow revisions after objections
A debate on the government’s draft bill for a new unified property tax which was supposed to take place in Parliament on Friday was postponed after Finance Ministry Yannis Stournaras said late on Thursday that ministry officials would revise the proposed legislation for another week following vehement objections by coalition MPs to some of its provisions.
Leftist SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras and the head of the Communist Party’s parliamentary group Aleka Papariga were among those who had submitted questions to Parliament about the bill.
Speaking to reporters late on Thursday, Stournaras said that his ministry would make “the necessary improvements” to the bill while sticking to the revenue targets pledged to Greece’s foreign creditors. He said he hoped the revised bill would be finished by the end of next week.
As for reports suggesting that the troika had postponed their visit, Stournaras rebuffed them, noting that the mission chiefs had set a meeting for Tuesday. “They’ve asked to meet me on Tuesday. What else can I tell you?” he said.
