Skrekas on inflation: “The measures worked, zero price increases” – 2024-04-14 03:01:10

The government is focusing on measures that will bring the industry closer to the market in the immediate future, as noted by the Minister of Development Kostas Skrekas speaking at the 9th Delphi Economic Forum.

The minister referred to the necessity of training and education programs related to necessary skills and underlined that emphasis is also placed on motivation for specific industrial sectors. Manufacturing can create a more resilient production model, he stressed.

With regard to the sectors that will be incentivized, he particularly referred to the photovoltaic sector as, as he said, there is expressed interest from international investors to build photovoltaic and charger factories in our country, while apart from photovoltaics, he continued that, emphasis will be placed on the industry for lithium batteries, the metal and construction industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the chemical industry and the food industry.

He noted that a strong and long-term industrial base needs a stable and predictable investment environment, something that has been ensured today in Greece, but also investment incentives and infrastructure in organized receptors and above all competitive energy costs are needed and all these issues, he continued, are priorities for the government.

“Zero markups”

Regarding food inflation, the minister reiterated that it is de-escalating and noted that the measures that have been taken have brought zero price increases and zero inflation, overall, in supermarkets and this will be reflected in the relevant indicators, while he underlined the importance that the upgrade of the e-Consumer platform to the best functioning of competition in the market. Regarding the strict fines, he noted that “we do not want to destroy companies, but to obey the law”.

More generally, regarding the fight against inflation, the minister, among other things, stated that 400,000 new jobs have been created since 2019 and the minimum wage and the average wage have increased to increase disposable income. “We have not reached where we want. The income of the Greeks is lower than the average European, and that is where our efforts are intensified,” noted Mr. Skrekas.

Source: RES-MPE