Posted on 06/06/2024 11:35:57 AM PDT by nickcarraway
As the cost of shopping at the supermarket remains a gripe for Greeks, the country’s famed Feta cheese is driving a political debate over what – or who – is responsible for the high prices.
Feta, the High Prices of Greek Food, and the Political Debate
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has stated that multinationals – and by extension corporate greed – are to be blamed for keeping prices high, despite being fined by his government for gouging, along with some domestic companies. However, the cost of going to the supermarket still looms as a large complaint for the Greeks.
Olive oil prices have risen astronomically – 15 euros for one liter of a known brand name – but what really sparked an outcry was the cost of feta, another of the Mediterranean country’s symbolic products that are produced on nearby farms.
In the lead-up to the June 6-9 European Parliament elections, Mitsotakis was under fire from his rival, SYRIZA opposition leader Stefanos Kasselakis, a Greek-American businessman who believed the premier was out of touch with the prices – including feta – and their effect on citizens.
Mitsotakis claimed in parliament that his government could not afford to cut a Value Added Tax (VAT) on food that’s as high as 24 percent for some products, with critics arguing it’s regressive and affects the lives of the poor and working class the most.
Grecian Delight supports Greece
Kasselakis highlighted the cost – 6.28 euros for 400 grams for a packaged brand name – as indicative of what he said was the government’s failure to stop profiteering.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said “The last thing citizens need is political deception” and that the prime minister was comparing 500-gram packages across countries in the European Union, not half packages.
Marinakis pointed out that if the price is calculated per kilo (2.2 pounds) from the data presented by Mitsotakis in parliament, then the goods Kasselakis had highlighted were even cheaper than what the prime minister had said.
“High living costs is the biggest problem for every household. We are trying to reduce its consequences with serious steps. Increasing incomes, a lot of strict fines, and of course targeted interventions,” Marinakis also said, as reported by The National Herald.
In an interview with Alpha TV, Mitsotakis increased his criticisms of the economic proposals by Kasselakis, and claimed the leftist leader’s ideas would cost 45 billion euros over four years.
“I must warn citizens that if these were ever implemented, the country would revert to a state of supervision and bankruptcy because, quite simply, that money doesn’t exist,” he said, despite the economy growing again now.
“Citizens have memory, and the last thing they want is an apprentice magician who will make promises – as the same party has done in the past – without substance,” he said, drawing parallels between Kasselakis and his predecessor, Alexis Tsipras.
It isn’t clear why the government didn’t impose harsher fines or conditions on companies keeping prices high, but a study by the National Bank of Greece pointed to ‘greedflation’ as the major problem, as well as an increase in salaries.
Bulgarian feta is to Greek feta what Taco Bell is to Mexican food.
“I ate his liver. With some feta cheese.”
That’s not true.
It’s a feta accompli.....................
Ever.
“Food should not be taxed. Ever.”
True.
With some exceptions such as lutefisk, headcheese and broccoli - just to name a few.
Broccoli is not bad with hollandaise.
How do you separate the men from the boys in Greece? With a crowbar.
They are using all the typical liberal excuses for inflation: “greed,” “profiteering,” etc.; anything but government spending and waste.
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