Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said Greece will expand benefits only as new revenue allows, while ruling out any political alliance with former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and naming the opposition PASOK as the only realistic coalition partner if New Democracy falls short of an outright majority in the next election.
"We only have so much, so we can only give so much," Mr. Marinakis said in an interview with ERTnews, describing the fiscal logic behind Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' recent package of measures announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair.
He left open the possibility of additional support if the government collects more revenue without raising taxes, citing an increase in investment from 10% to 17.5% of GDP and exports from 20% to 40% of GDP under the government's watch, alongside cuts to 91 separate taxes.
Mr. Marinakis called a governing majority "the only realistic path" for New Democracy, but did not rule out a coalition with PASOK, led by Nikos Androulakis, should the party fall short.
He sharply criticized PASOK's refusal to cooperate with New Democracy, calling any prospective "government of losers" among opposition parties "comic-tragic."
He was more dismissive of Mr. Samaras, effectively excluding cooperation with any new party he might launch, citing the former prime minister's sharp criticism of the government.
Mr. Marinakis also confirmed he intends to run for a parliamentary seat representing northern Athens in the next election, while continuing to describe himself professionally as a lawyer rather than a politician.