简体中文
The Greek government submitted the 2015 draft budget on Monday which forecast a 2.9 percent growth of both gross domestic product (GDP) and primary surplus, as well as the reduction of unemployment rates and sovereign debt burden to sustainable standards.
Presenting the draft, Alternate Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said that the government "creates the preconditions for long-term sustainable growth."
He stressed that public finances have stabilized, Greece's credibility has been restored, and the country is gradually returning to international capital markets. The country is also exiting the four-year debt crisis after achieving its fiscal goals for a third successive year and implementing needed structural reforms.
However, opposition parties voiced skepticism over the conservative-led ruling coalition's estimates, arguing that behind the rosy picture, individuals and businesses in Greece are still suffering after six years of recession and four years of harsh austerity measures introduced to avert default.
Critics rejected some tax relief plans in the draft as insufficient, including the reduction of a solidarity tax adopted in recent years by 30 percent for 2015.
But the government insisted that steps are being made and the situation is improving, pointing to concrete numbers.
The draft budget sees Greece return to economic growth this year with GDP expected to grow by 0.6 percent, up from minus 3.9 percent last year.
Regarding primary surplus, the draft budget anticipates it to be 2 percent this year -- up from 0.8 percent for 2013 -- and as much as 2.9 percent next year.
As for the sovereign debt, it is expected to stand at about 175 percent of GDP this year -- the same level as in 2013 -- and drop to 168 percent in 2015.
Unemployment is expected to drop to 22.5 percent of workforce in 2015, down from 25 percent in 2014.
The government attributes the upward economic trend to the "recovery in investments, personal consumption and strengthening of exports."
