A draft deal between Greece and its international lenders obtained by Reuters outlines plans to further cut wages and pensions but, if implemented, would also give Athens more time to meet its budget targets.
Cuts worth about €9.2 billion would be enforced in 2013
Talks on the deal, however, have been blocked by junior coalition partners in Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’s government who object to labour reforms that would cut wages, reduce severance payments and axe automatic wage hikes.
The agreement remains subject to negotiation and further changes.
Greece will get two more years, until 2016, to generate a primary budget surplus – which excludes debt servicing – of 4.5 per cent of GDP.
Greece will take fiscal measures worth €13.5 billion in 2013-2014, including €6.3 billion in public sector wage and pension cuts. Cuts worth about €9.2 billion would be enforced in 2013.
At least 2,000 civil servants would be put on one-year notice of dismissal with reduced wages by the end of 2012. At least a further 6,250 would enter the same programme every three months during 2013, starting from end-February.
The recapitalisation of Greek banks is to be completed by end-April 2013.
Severance payments are to be reduced and capped. Other allowances, such as automatic wage increases that kick in with seniority, are to be abolished. The labour minister said late on Tuesday, however, that the lenders had backed down on insisting that the automatic wage hikes should be scrapped.
Selected tax credits and allowances are to be abolished. Taxation of the self-employed and farmers will be harmonised with the regime for corporate taxes. A flat capital gains tax rate will be introduced to replace the banding system in force at present.
The mandatory retirement age will increase by two years to 67. Pension incomes above €1,000 a month will be cut.
Some labour, transport and sanitary regulations will be repealed to lower costs for retail businesses.
New laws will make it easier for retailers to import fuel with a view to reducing fuel prices.
Further liberalisation planned of regulated professions such as dock workers, accountants, lawyers and tourist guides.