Iliopoulos: Government subsidising energy firms' outsize profits with taxpayers money

He stressed that high prices were the government's "policy choice" and cited figures released by IME GSEVEE, the Small Businesses Institute of the General Confederation of Professionals, Craftpersons and Merchants (GSEVEE), showing that for "50 pct of [Greek] households, their income runs out by the 20th of the month," while figures for January showed that those on minimum wage lost 14 pct of their purchasing power.

Iliopoulos emphasised that a cap on energy prices was needed "here and now", as recommended by the European Commission's toolbox, along with immediate taxation of what the Commission was calling the "windfall" oversized profits of energy companies.

"Based on the latest figures from the summer until now, these companies have made approximately 2.0 billion in profits. Why is the government refusing to tax the profits of energy companies, something that France, Germany, Italy and Spain are already doing? Through this taxation, it could finance a reduction of VAT on basic foodstuffs. Instead, the government is continuing to subsidise profiteering, using the taxpayers money," he added.

The spokesperson also repeated SYRIZA's demand for an increase in the minimum wage to 800 euros, saying this will boost consumption, as well as for reductions in the special consumption tax on fuel, noting that this would cost 1.5 billion euros and was "eminently feasible" while the benefit will concern transport at all levels.

"When there are high prices for transport and energy, costs at the supermarket will rise accordingly. The Mitsotakis government is continuing to subsidise the windfall profits of energy companies," he said.