Provopoulos: No to new taxes

Speaking to the Committee on Economic Affairs, Bank of Greece governor George Provopoulos pointed out the need to avoid additional burdens on taxpayers as a prerequisite for achieving the budgetary targets.

He said that what remains is "the last hard mile" to overcome the crisis, but the political instability and deepening polarization in view of the European elections, may weaken the elements that currently support the positive forecasts for 2014.

For the interim report of the BoG for Monetary Policy of 2013, Provopoulos said "the recovery requires continued effort and intensity, but today it is possible to halt the downward trend. The effort, however, has not been completed and the recorded stabilization is still fragile. It is a national necessity to preserve what has been achieved with such great cost, to prevent setbacks and to cover the remaining distance."

"It therefore logical to be concerned that 2014, the year of elections for the European Parliament and local government, political controversy can be exacerbated further, polarization might reach its peak and the reconciliation of views, which is a prerequisite for a national policy might become even more difficult. If this happens, the uncertainty will be intensified and the elements that are currently supporting the positive forecasts for 2014 will weaken."