Christoforos Vernardakis

There is a huge gap between the views in Athens and Brussels regarding how to utilize the excess primary surplus that is expected in the 2017 state budget.

State Minister Christoforos Vernardakis said Tuesday that 1 million citizens will receive 1,000 euros each, but the European Commission would be vehemently opposed to such a move - as would some cabinet members too.

The first meeting between the representatives of Greece’s lenders and the Greek government is concluded.

The ‘Quartet’ will receive Greece’s proposal on the new tax bill tomorrow since it seems that issue was also added in the prior actions for the successful completion of the evaluation.

Popular Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) lawmaker Gabriel Sakellaridis announced his resignation on Thursday, choosing to resign rather than vote against his party after a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, his friend.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has asked for the resignation of economist Gabriel Sakellaridis, one of the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) heavyweights. Since January 2015, Sakellaridis has been the Deputy Minister to the PM and served as government spokesperson in the previous SYRIZA cabinet.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wants to abolish tax breaks for MPs and reduce wages for ministers and public organization heads. Tsipras underlined the need for the legislation during a meeting with Alternate Finance Minister Dimitris Mardas, Alternate Administrative Reform Minister Christoforos Vernardakis and top government official Spyros Sayias.