By Chrysostomos Tsoufis

A package of support measures among other pensioners, farmers and debtors in the amount of €600 million will be elaborated in a few hours on the 3rd floor of the Ministry of Finance by Messrs Staikouras, Skylakakis, Vesyropoulos and the Minister of Labor Kostis Hatzidakis.

The government has decided to return some of the fiscal space created by higher-than-expected growth and increased budget efficiency in line with its stance on rational and fiscally responsible provision. “And that’s it, we’re done, there’s nothing else until the elections,” a government official would typically tell us.

€280 million will be allocated to approximately 1 million pensioners with pensions of up to €1600 who were “wronged” as they received no or very small increases in their pensions. There are 3 categories of beneficiaries:

-Those who did not see in their pocket the 7.75% of increases and simply reduced their personal difference.

– Those who zeroed out their personal difference but the increase they saw was very small, up to 3-3.5%

-The low pensioners, that is, those who received a punctuality check at Christmas.

The allowance will scale as follows:

-€300 for pensions up to €800

-€250 for pensions from €801 to €1100 and

-€200 for pensions from €1101 to €1600

The amount will be paid in one lump sum before Easter of course.

The second arrangement is likely to boost public coffers as they revive for those who missed out on the 72 and 120 installment arrangements. A condition for revival is the payment of 2 monthly installments in one go.

For the first time, however, a new arrangement is being prepared that is aimed exclusively at consistent debtors, those who during the energy crisis had arrangements and served them. They will be able to settle his debts in 36 to 72 installments.

According to the data of the tax administration, at the moment in some arrangement (100 installments, 120 installments, 72 installments for the pandemic debts and 24-48 installments of the permanent settlement) debts amounting to €5.3 billion have been included.

At the same time, the Ministry of Finance is proceeding with the lifting of the out-of-court settlement in order to facilitate and speed up the arrangements. The changes promoted have to do with:

-Expansion of the scope so that debtors with a single debt can also be included.

– Abolition of the prepayment penalty for debts to the State

-Reduction of the interest rate for the debts to the State from Euribor+5% to Euribor+3%

-Inclusion of new debts such as debts to third parties collected by the tax administration.

– Obligation to justify their refusal to accept the arrangement proposed by the algorithm, whether it is the financial institutions or the debtors.

In addition, the government will refund the EFFK to farmers for the oil they use exclusively for their agricultural operations. The measure has a cost of €76 million, while an order has also been given to speed up the settlement of outstanding issues regarding compensations.

€250 million is the cost of extending the validity of support measures that are already in effect, such as e.g. The reduced VAT and the increase in benefits and the expansion of their beneficiaries are calculated at around €80m. The increase in the allowance for unhealthy and dangerous work to up to €200 has already been announced and new categories of beneficiaries such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists and dental technicians have been added.