Théoni Koufonikolakou, spokesperson for the Greek Left Coalition (ELAS) — the new political initiative backed by former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras — emphasized the urgent need to rebuild Greece’s social state. Speaking on Mega TV on Monday, 22 June 2026, she outlined ELAS’s economic vision, centered on three pillars: restoring the social state, driving a productive transformation of the economy, and shifting the country’s fiscal mix. She dismissed criticism that ELAS’s proposals are financially unfeasible.
‘Corruption Costs Up to 30%’
Koufonikolakou addressed concerns about funding, citing data from the OECD to argue that corruption drains up to 25–30% of public funds in some sectors. ‘When asked “Where will the money come from?”, we respond that tackling corruption alone yields massive savings,’ she said. She also spotlighted inefficiencies in public procurement — particularly direct contract awards and cartel practices — which inflate costs for the state. Referencing the ongoing OPEKEPE scandal, she linked these issues to systemic losses of public resources.
Criticism of Budget Surpluses and ‘Coupons’
The ELAS spokesperson criticized the current government’s fiscal policy, noting that it has delivered a 5% primary budget surplus despite committing to just 2% — generating an estimated €7 billion in excess revenue. She argued this surplus reflects a political choice, not fiscal necessity, and accused the government of channeling those funds into targeted tax cuts and consumer vouchers that disproportionately benefit higher-income groups.
‘Salaried Workers Have Paid Enough’
Koufonikolakou stressed that the burden of fiscal adjustment has fallen unfairly on salaried workers. ‘Salaried workers have already borne more than enough of the cost of this country’s fiscal consolidation,’ she stated. ELAS proposes reducing the tax burden on wages while increasing taxation on income derived from dividends, interest, and capital gains — explicitly excluding wages, real estate, and entrepreneurial activity from its proposed wealth tax measures.
‘For the first time, there is such anxiety over taxing wealth,’ she added — underscoring the political sensitivity surrounding the proposal.