Sokratis Famellos, President of SYRIZA–PS, explained in an interview with Nikos Chatzinikolaou that his party’s proposal to reduce VAT on food to zero for six months would provide immediate relief to consumers. The measure, which would cost 800 million euros, has already been quantified by the State’s General Accounting Office. He stressed the need for stricter market oversight and lower indirect taxes, criticizing the government for avoiding these policies.
On energy issues, he denounced the government’s turn toward American LNG and the transformation of Greece into an entry hub for it, arguing that reliance on a single imported fuel source does not guarantee energy security. He noted that large amounts of cheap green energy are wasted due to the lack of storage infrastructure, and reminded that drilling projects such as “Block 2” have been stagnant for six years. He also questioned the financial benefit for the Greek state, pointing out that its stake in potential hydrocarbon exploitation is just 3%.
Regarding the center-left political landscape, he acknowledged its fragmentation and said that Alexis Tsipras’s resignation raises both challenges and new opportunities. Famellos argued that progressive forces must converge and proposed a single progressive ballot for the next elections, with a common platform and a common leader selected through democratic procedures. He emphasized that society expects cooperation and that personal ambition should not stand in the way of this effort.
Audio from the interview: https://youtube.com/live/aXeVJqSFuw8
