By Angeliki Koutantou and Renee Maltezou
ATHENS (Reuters) -Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated on Saturday the minimal wage would rise once more subsequent yr and pensions would improve for the primary time because the monetary disaster erupted greater than a decade in the past.
The euro zone’s most indebted nation obtained greater than 260 billion euros of worldwide loans between 2010 and 2015 in return for powerful austerity, which included a sequence of pension and wage cuts.
After rising from its third bailout in 2018, Greece exited its collectors’ so-called enhanced surveillance final month, giving it better freedom in implementing financial coverage.
“After a few years, pensions will improve for 1.5 million pensioners,” Mitsotakis stated throughout his annual financial coverage speech from the northern metropolis of Thessaloniki.
Mitsotakis, a conservative who faces a parliamentary election in 2023, stated the rise in pensions might be listed to GDP development and inflation.
The minimal wage which, the federal government raised to 713 euros ($716) a month earlier this yr, would go up once more in Could, he added, with out giving a brand new determine.
His authorities will even abolish a so-called solidarity levy on non-public and public sector employees, a legacy of Greece’s multi-year debt disaster, he stated.
Mitsotakis additionally promised additional funding to cushion the influence of the power disaster and hovering inflation on the nation’s households.
Greece has already spent about 8 billion euros ($8 billion) in energy invoice subsidies and different aid measures since final yr.
Mitsotakis stated the help will proceed, with low-income earners getting a 250-euro handout every in December.
Some 1.3 million households will even be eligible for greater monetary assist for heating over the winter, whereas those that go for oil or different fuels for heating as a substitute of gasoline or electrical energy will see that profit doubled, he added.
All of the measures he introduced for this yr and subsequent will value a complete of 5.5 billion euros, he stated.
Helped by robust development due to better-than-expected tourism income this yr, the federal government has determined to make use of any extra fiscal room to proceed funding energy invoice subsidies.
Mitsotakis stated Greek economic system is seen rising by greater than 5% this yr, greater than a earlier authorities forecast for a 3.1% GDP development.
($1 = 0.9961 euros)
