January 21, 2026

Athens News

News in English from Greece

We will drive the economy due to the growth of taxes and borrowings


So, is the glass half empty or half full? Last week, published Economic prospect Organizations of economic cooperation and development (OECD) for economies of member countries, including Greece.

If we want to see the positive side and celebrate the “achievements” of the Greek economy, it is enough to focus on the fact that the OECR predicts steady growth rates and an increase in the primary surfaces by 2025–2026. You can also be proud of “social sensitivity” Kiriakos Mitsikitisiswho acts as a shield against OECD proposals on the abolition of reduced VAT rates.

However, even technocrats recognize the serious problems of the Greek economy, noting that its growth on the one hand is ensured by payments from Customs Fund for Restoration (although these flows will cease in 2026), and on the other, by tax pressure.

Despite the forecasts of reducing energy prices, the OECD expects inflation at the level 2% Even in 2026 (which means a collection of increased VAT). These factors explain why, according to the international organization, the economy will grow on 2% this year and 2.1% in 2026.

Numbers bloom, not society

However, technocrats see only numbers, indicators, and conclude that the Greek economy is stable in the next two years, relying on the tax growth of GDP, fed speculative marginsand funds Customs Fund for Restorationwho act, but are not consumed, and when they are spent, their lion's share (about 15.5 billion euros) gets less than 500 companies.

Behind these numbers, the mud of the Greek economy is hidden. This is an economy based on two main pillars. On the one hand – private consumption of basic goods (mainly products, energy, housing), where it flourishes speculation through the cartelization of these sectors. On the other hand, tourism, which, developing only due to the influx of tourists with a reduction in average tourist expense, is becoming increasingly unprofitable for the Greece economy.

This is an economy growing at the expense of taxes and suffering from the lack of production investment.

Do not forget that the trade deficit is constantly increasing, since imports are growing, and export is reduced due to the destruction of the country's production potential over the past six years.

Even tourism leads to an increase in the import of goods to power millions of tourists (more 40 million In 2024), since “brilliant” government minds forgot to connect the tourist sector with agricultural permits.

Life standard in decline

All this, in combination with the constantly decreasing productivity of the Greek economy, condemns Greek households into disasters. It is characteristic that in the report published by the OECD in November last year, Greece was among countries with the worst salary indicators, occupying third place from the end among 35 member countries.

But where Greece really lags behind the member countries of the OECR is the standard of living. This indicator, calculated by the international organization based on the disposable income, the life expectancy and education, in the first quarter of 2024 79.52 (decrease with 81.09 In the fourth quarter of 2023), while the average OECR indicator – 125!

All this is the collapse of the Greek economy, since its competitiveness is reduced. All this is printed Kiriakos Mitsikitisis. All this will “explode” after 2026, when the influx of funds from Customs Fund for Restoration. Until then, we will be hostages of propaganda festivities about the “flowering” economy.

“Bells” in the report of the OECD for Greece

Sustainability is based on growth forecasts 2% in 2025 and 2.1% in 2026, which is much higher than in the eurozone (0.8% in 2024, 1% in 2025, 1.2% in 2026).

Private consumption, fueled inflation of speculative marginswill continue to grow (1.2% in 2025, 1.7% in 2026).

The ratio of public debt to GDP, according to forecasts, will continue to decline (139.8% From GDP in 2026). At the same time, the OECD predicts small deficits of the general government in the coming years (0.2% from GDP).

Investment activity will intensify, gross capital investments, according to forecasts, will grow on 9.3% in 2025 and 8.1% In 2026 thanks Customs Fund for Restoration. However, experts of the OECD, seeing that the means EU They are mainly sent to city real estate, and not for production investment, pessimistic evaluate the possibility of their preservation after 2026.

Unemployment, as it measures it Ελστατ (transferring long -term unemployed into an inactive population), will continue to decline, reaching 9.2% in 2025 and 9.1% In 2026 against 10.1% in 2023.

Inflation, according to estimates, will be 2.5% in 2025 and 2% in 2026. The balance of current operations will remain scarce (approximately -5% From GDP to 2026).



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