The Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen & Merchants (GSEVEE), the Greek SMEs union, said the Greek government was overlooking small businesses in favor of big business, following the Greek PM’s speech at the 88th Thessaloniki Trade Fair (TIF).
The SMEs union released a statement, alleging the government had brushed aside the interests of the smaller businesses, “effectively relegating participation of their representatives in social dialogue to a mere formality.”
“The requests we submit are considered of minor importance compared to those of large enterprises, which are privileged,” the statement read.
GSEVEE claims that the retention of imputed taxable income, which is expected to increase with the announced minimum wage hike, is not mitigated by the abolition of the business levy, which should have already been eliminated.
The SMEs union argues that the reduction in social security contributions announced by the Greek PM primarily benefits large companies, with minimal support for small and very small businesses.
On the issue of wage and pension increases, GSEVEE notes that the proposed subsidies for public sector employees and pensioners cannot reverse the decline in consumption. These increases merely slow down the downturn, while the continual rise in operational costs and the reduction in profitability will lead to further price hikes.
