1 billion euros to help 1 million Greek families
The government is preparing to spend between 1 and 1.2 billion euros on lower income groups in the runup to the next elections, which must be held by next spring at the latest, reliable sources say. These benefits will be directed at about 1 million families. In other words, help will go to 400,000 retirees who receive a basic pension, another 260,000 who get a subsidy provided to the lowest-income pensioners, 130,000 disabled people and another 30,000 long-term unemployed. Money will also be spent for the education of children of families with four or more children. The package also foresees tens of thousands of hirings of personnel on a full-time or part-time basis in the broader public sector. Furthermore, about 700,000 small business owners will get some relief through tax adjustments, with the reinstatement of the purchases ledger as the sole source for calculating taxable revenues and VAT, freeing them of the anxiety of inspections by the financial crimes squad.
