April 27, 1955
EXTRA CONTRIBUTION: In order to fund the reconstruction of the town of Volos and other earthquake-stricken parts of the country and to maintain the balance of the budget, as a necessary condition for economic and monetary stability, the government yesterday announced new taxes and tariffs. The financial burden amounts to 1,000 million new drachmas annually (US dollar = 30 drachmas). The increase in tariffs, as applied to sugar, gasoline, pulses, cod, meat, seafood and other goods, goes into force today. The 20 percent increase in direct taxes will apply from the beginning of the new financial year, that is, from July 1. There will also be increases to the price of cinema tickets in Athens and Thessaloniki and a one-off tax on private cars. Announcing the new measures yesterday, the prime minister, Field Marshal Alexandros Papagos, said, «The sacrifice that the government is demanding of the Greek people gives me the right to appeal to our great allies and to ask for aid.» CAMUS IN ATHENS: The French writer Albert Camus is to give a talk this evening on «The Artist and his Time» at Parnassus Hall under the aegis of the Greek-French Association.
