Hundreds stand in line to apply for solidarity benefit
Citizens stand in line outside a municipal office in central Athens Tuesday in a bid to claim a state solidarity benefit for those on low incomes. Despite the rain, hundreds queued to lodge applications for the supplement. By the beginning of this month, some 53,000 applications had been made for the benefit. Authorities expect a total of 700,000 to be submitted. Last month, Greece’s creditors raised objections to the initiative, saying fresh cutbacks to the state budget will be required to finance it. [Eurokinissi]