SYRIZA Says No VAT Hikes On Islands or Books

SYRIZA secretary Dimitris Vitsas said this week that the government is planning to streamline the Value Added Tax (VAT), after it was revealed that Friday’s Eurogroup agreement includes a commitment to revise the policy on VAT.

Speaking to SKAI Fm, he said that SYRIZA's goal is to raise revenue without having a negative effect on social justice, while limiting exemptions and “absurd discounts”.

In a separate interview to Real FM, he said that any “changes in a VAT rate” would not affect the “border area, books, the Press or of course the islands in the Aegean”.

He clarified that there are no plans for an increase in VAT for the moment, but should it be deemed necessary, SYRIZA plans to debate the matter first.