The minimum wage in Greece will increase from 713 euros per month to 780 euros, and the increase will benefit 600,000 workers It will go into effect at the beginning of next month. This amount, which is still one of the lowest in the European Union, but, as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis noted, “is the most we can give.”
The Greek government also raised unemployment benefits, from 438 euros per month to 472, for workers whose last job was full-time. It also increases monthly amount Maternity leave, which is equivalent to the minimum salary for professionals. On the other hand, the monthly assistance of 200 euros for the long-term unemployed does not go up.
The conservative New Democracy government took the opportunity to highlight data showing improvements in Greek economy. Among them, the decline in the unemployment rate, which moved from 17.5% after the formation of the executive Mitsotakis to 10.8% last January.
For its part, the main union of the private sector, GSEE, announced that the basic salary is still insufficient due to the needs of families and inflation, and demanded that it be raised to 826 euros per month To “create a more viable and just economy and society”.
This measure, which was announced during a meeting at the Al-Aqsa Palace in the Greek capital, comes just two months before and after the next general elections. Loss of confidence In government by voters, especially among young people, after the accident that followed a head-on collision of two trains.
The reported measures occur in parallel with the Greek executive’s announcement to cut taxes for people earning between 20,000 and 50,000 euros a year during the next legislature. Actions to be applied during the next legislature As long as the New Democracy party wins elections this spring, it will affect the 15% of taxpayers who pay more than 45% of the nation’s personal income tax.
reduce the burden
The measure aims to ease the tax burden on the middle class, a segment of the population that has benefited the least from aid since 2019, when New Democracy took over. Presidency of the state. This tax group has only seen its taxes cut by €17 per year, which is a small amount if we consider inflation in recent years, especially since the military invasion of Ukraine and the energy crisis. According to data from Statistics Greece, Greek consumers pay 45% more than last year for basic necessities, in addition to the significant increase in Electricity and natural gas bills.
On the other hand, action also seeks benefit Freelancers and employees The self-employed, who were the main beneficiaries of the tax measures during the Kyriakos Mitsotakis Legislative Council, saved in some cases more than a thousand euros a year in taxes.
CEO Mitsotakis has spent months implementing measures to mitigate the effects of shortages and the energy crisis, especially among the most vulnerable sectors of Greek society. Among them is the establishment of a food basket in cooperation with large supermarket chains That the price of more than 50 categories of basic products must remain competitive during the crisis. In addition, from this month, the so-called “purchase card” is in operation, which consists of a digital card with which a percentage of what is paid for the monthly purchase of food is returned to the families who order it.
In the energy sector, this year it also granted aid for fuel and diesel Preheating It is working with Bulgaria to build an oil pipeline to be able to become firmly independent from Russia.
After the tragic accident that followed the collision of two trains on March 1, which left at least 57 deathsMitsotakis’ government has a public opinion against it, and at the moment, it does not seem that elections will be held next April, so these measures that will be applied in the next legislature are pending.
