Yanis Varoufakis claims deal is close in an interview with Vima FM radio station.
The Finance Minister said:
- An agreement can be reached by June 30.
- Greece is aiming for a single, comprehensive agreement with the creditors that will involve labor market reform, pensions and debt relief.
- Greek negotiators are resisting pressure to accept “permanent recessionary measures”, including raising VAT rates.
- Greece will not implement a transaction tax on bank withdraws, as has been rumored.
- He also claimed that Greece could raise taxes without hurting economic demand, if they also promoted the redistribution of wealth in the economy.
- when asked whether Greece has the money to pay the IMF, he said “let me the Finance Ministers worry about this, not the people!”