ATHENS – “We are at a very difficult turning point,” government spokesperson Yiannis Oikonomou said in an interview with public broadcaster ERT1 on Wednesday.

“The government is monitoring the unfavourable developments and we are here, ready to intervene with the tools available to us, telling the truth to the world about what we can do and how what we do can have the maximum possible effect,” he said.

However, regarding the special consumption tax for fuel, he pointed out that “it does not appear from the analysis of the financial staff, from the analysis of officials, that any reduction in the special consumption tax for fuel, would result in such an increase of consumption as to replenish the lost revenue.” He also reiterated that “as the prime minister has said, our intention is to abolish the solidarity contribution, from 2023 onwards.”

Regarding the Ukrainian crisis, he stressed that “in terms of security of supply in the country, we observe the developments and we must be prepared for any case.”

He also pointed out that Turkey’s provocative rhetoric is not based on any reality of international law. He stressed that “Greece was and will remain a factor of peace and stability in both the Aegean and the Southeastern Mediterranean.”