The arrangement regarding the Swiss franc has been extended until September 30, in order to give more time to borrowers.
This was stated by the Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis, speaking on “Parapolitika FM,” noting that “we have 14,000 borrowers who have applied for inclusion, the settlement is in effect and an extension will be granted under the current bill.” As he also noted, “the arrangement will not change. We have been discussing this issue for many years; there is also a haircut, and a response based on the level of income. The regulation was correct, and more time will be given, until September 30.”
In the same interview, the minister also said that regarding hybrid passenger cars, “the bill includes provisions for plug-in electric vehicles, in line with common sense.” And he added that “we will extend for another 6 months the graduated 50% discount- 75% for hybrids, and this also applies to those purchased in the last 6 months that have not yet been registered, so as to avoid any surprises. Starting January 1, 2027, a 50% discount will apply to plug-in cars.”
Regarding the Real Estate Leasing Agency, Mr. Pierrakakis stated that “I have served as a minister in ministries that acted within 24 hours, but there are other matters that involve different procedures. We are in the final stage of implementation; on May 29 the final bids were submitted, and the process of evaluating them has begun. The program is a tool for protecting primary residences; it allows tenants to stay for 12 years, with a state rental subsidy and the option for the tenant to repurchase the property. The Agency will begin operations in the fall, and in the meantime, no one has been left unprotected. At the same time, the out-of-court mechanism is a tool for protecting primary residences.
Regarding the “Katseli Law”, he stated that “the oppositionrushed into it; it is a complex decision. Ministry officials are studying the decision in depth; the opposition likely hasn’t even read it. The decision of the Supreme Court will be implemented; the discussion is about how to implement it. We are studying the decision; there are many different scenarios. We will find the best way to implement it.”
Finally, regarding private debt , he noted that “systemically, it is lower than the European average; we are at 94.5% of GDP, while in Europe it is at 121%, but the ministry and the government cannot ignore it. Thousands of people are affected. We are providing people with the appropriate tools so that, on the one hand, the culture that now generates primary surpluses does not change, but we need to get ‘people out of the water.’ We need a middle ground—a state that offers a helping hand rather than pointing fingers. People are embracing the regulation regarding the Swiss franc, and the out-of-court mechanism, as they were designed based on people’s needs.”
