Finance Minister G. Papakonstantinou made a step for consensus, stating that opposition party’s proposal includes provisions that the government has already integrated or could integrate in its program.
“We will invite the main opposition to a debate on a framework for joint action”, Giorgos Papakonstantinou said at the Economist conference in Lagonissi, south of Athens. “The Greek government fully assumes its responsibilities. We shall tell the truth and move forward”, he added.
The economic team had identified “some positive aspects” in the proposal of the main opposition party New Democracy last week, adding that they could form a basis for debate between government and opposition.
At the same time, the Minister didn’t rule out the possibility of further dismissals in the public sector as a result of state organizations’ mergers.
A year after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, things did not cleared out, and questions multiplied, Giorgos Papakonstantinou said.
A country cannot move along with a deficit of 15.5%, he noted, adding that the country still has not passed the tough situation.
Everyone realizes slowly but surely how tough was the project, as the government moves in an environment that has become more difficult than before, Papakonstantinou said.
But the Interior Minister Yiannis Ragousis earlier on Wednesday again ruled out imminent layoffs, stressing that “for the time being, there is no question of layoffs in the public sector including employees with a permanent status and those under open-ended work contracts”.
(source: capital)
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