Alexis Tsipras unveils SYRIZA's new programme

Athens - SYRIZA's leader, Alexis Tsipras, unveiled the programme his party intends to implement if it wins office in the June 17 Greek election, announcing the first step would be the cancellation of the bail-out memorandum.

Tsipras, whom Digital Joural reported voters have questioned his suitability to become Prime Minister, introduced the planned measures as a "programme of dignity and hope." Ta Nea reported Tsipras said "We are asking people to vote to cancel the Memorandum." In addition to the cancellation of the memorandum the key points of SYRIZA's manifesto are to restore the minimum wage to €751; restore unemployment benefit to €461 but also increase its term from one to two years; to cancel the reductions in pensions; to either totally or partially cancel debt of heavily indebted households and heavily indebted companies; and to gradually reduce VAT rates, particularly on food. To raise revenue to pay for such measures Tsipras plans to confiscate property from those who fail to pay taxes; sign a bilateral agreement with Switzerland on the taxation of savings of Greek citizens there; a radical reform of the tax system to redistribute wealth; and the introduction of a National Programmatic Agreement to rasie taxes from ship owners and the maritime industry. Additionally Tsipras plans to nationalize the banks and halt the privatisation of Greek public organizations that are in the progress of being privatized - these include the railways, post office, electric company DEI, telephone company OTE, and water.