In the Economic Committee of the Parliament, deliberations have begun regarding a bill that proposes reducing the special defense contribution on bank interest from 30% to 17%. While there's no disagreement over the essence of the bill, contention arose over whether to adopt this proposed legislation or a similar one previously introduced by the Democratic Rally party.

Nagia Symeonidou, a senior official from the Ministry of Finance, noted that the fiscal impact of the bill is estimated to be around 16 million euros annually. She added that while this government initiative is one among several, it's not the only one. The bill is expected to increase household disposable income, bolster investment activities, encourage both citizens and businesses to save, and strengthen trust in the banking system.

DISY MP Onoufrios Koulla questioned the necessity of the bill, pointing out that an identical proposal was introduced by the party three months prior. He argued that the parliament should vote on their original proposal instead, emphasizing the body's right to modify tax rates. He also highlighted that this is a just measure, as the increase in the defense tax was a result of a memorandum provision, but it's not aimed against high prices.

From AKEL, MP Christos Christofidis inquired why, in such a context, the Ministry of Finance prioritizes supporting depositors with financial capability over other segments of the population. He questioned whether this move aims to bridge a gap in bank policies, with the state incentivizing deposits at a time when banks refuse to increase interest rates.

Green Party MP Stavros Papadouris mentioned that his movement also co-signed the proposal to abolish this memorandum-related measure. However, he expressed that both the bill and the proposal seemed to be more about public relations. He felt it was somewhat provocative for the Ministry of Finance to introduce a bill with wording identical to an existing proposal, viewing it as an attempt to showcase measures.