We are all responsible to reduce restricted property stock and increase supply

POMIDA welcomes the determination of the government and Prime Minister, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to stand by society and, with a proclamation of historical importance, that was initially been proposed by our organization, to tax the reintegration into the rental market of our country's main residence both of the large potential of inactive urban housing, as well as renovated housing that was attempted to be made available for short-term leasing without success.

POMIDA has been officially submitting this proposal to the government for about a year, expressed in a legislative amendment, pointing out that this measure is the only one that can "unlock" closed properties and offer affordable and quality housing to tenants.

To have our proposal been accepted is proof that the government is really interested in the housing problem, putting the social interest first, setting aside unfounded fiscal concerns and adopting a courageous solution that will bring results to the benefit of all stakeholders: owners, tenants and the State.

It is now in responsibility of the relevant ministers to immediately proceed with the correct implementation of the measure, without unnecessary "criteria", exceptions, exclusions and "asterisks" that will in practice cancel the results we all expect, so that every available residence, whoever it belongs to, to be able to enter the market, taking advantage of this incentive. And of course the responsibility of the owners is to respond positively, hurrying to offer to the market every available property, in good condition and on reasonable terms, so that they too can benefit from this important incentive, but also that society's needs are met in available and affordable residences.

This regulation, in combination with the support programs for housing upgrades, the new "Spiti my" program and the doubling of the ENFIA discount for insured homes, also requested by POMIDA, are important measures that will help the real estate market and society in general. Of course, the rationalization of the irrational tax rates of the rent scale, which is a permanent deterrent against owners and tenants, remains a constant demand of POMIDA.

Finally, in relation to short-term leases, we expect the specialization of the measures announced, always pointing out that this category of leases brought multiple beneficial results for Greek society and economy and that the adoption of measures that would lead to direct or indirect "strangulation" of it will reduce the incomes of the owners but also of all those who deal with this activity via satellite, the tourist traffic and the revenues of the State, without helping with housing, as some people claim out of cunning or even naively imagine.