New Democracy attacks government over changes to 100-installment debt settlement measure

Gazzetta team 8 Οκτωβρίου 2015 - 21:22

Main opposition New Democracy on Thursday attacked the government over the changes it announced to a measure allowing repayment of state debts in 100 installments, saying these once again caught the roughly one million citizens that applied to join the debt resettlement scheme "off guard".

ND said the changes increased the interest rate paid by those with debts over 5,000 euros from 3 pct to 5 pct, while those with smaller debts were only exempt from the higher interest rate if they did not have any kind of business activity, did not own property valued in excess of 150,000 euros and their annual income did not exceed 10,000 euros.

The main opposition also forecast a loss in state revenues as tax-payers called to pay higher sums each month found themselves unable to meet payments.

"In the end, the only people who benefited from the much-touted 100-installments measures, and who will continue to 'drink to the health of the suckers' and 'praise' Mr. Tsipras, are the notorious big-time debtors that saw their debts 'cut' by Mr. Tsipras overnight," ND's announcement added.