ATHENS, Sept 11 — Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced Saturday 21 measures designed to alleviate the impact of soaring inflation and the energy crisis on the nation's households while also targeting growth.
During his annual economic policy speech from the 86th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), Greece's largest exhibition event, Mitsotakis pledged to give a 250-euro (dollar) subsidy to 2.3 million vulnerable citizens in December and increase the student housing allowance from 1,000 euros to 1,500 euros.
He also promised to increase the heating fuel subsidy to 300 million euros, widening criteria to include 1.3 million more households and announced a special intervention to reduce the cost of heating oil, as well grant farmers some 140 million euros in emergency subsidy.
"We are proceeding with a permanent set of measures, which will be effective from January. In this way, a safety net is developed for society and the foundations are laid for a better future," Mitsotakis said.
Greece has already announced about 8 billion euros in power subsidies since last year.
Mitsotakis also announced pension and minimum wage rises and lowered VAT in some sectors, putting the total cost of latest handouts at 5.5 billion euros.
Energy-linked price hikes have sparked Greece's highest inflation in three decades.
Inflation remained in double-digits for a fifth consecutive month, slipping to 11.4 per cent in August compared to 11.6 in July, according to Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) data announced Friday. — AFP
