The support measures taken by the government to support employees in Culture were at the center of the position of the Deputy Minister of Culture in charge of contemporary culture, Nikolas Giatromanolakis, during the meeting of the Standing Committee on Educational Affairs.
The committee discussed the draft law of the Ministry of Culture concerning the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Film Co-productions and the ratification of the Memorandum of Cooperation between Greece and China, on the translation and publishing of classical and modern Chinese book production and Of Greece.
During his deuterology, the Undersecretary of Culture underlined that “the government has taken measures to support the industry amounting to 448 million euros, with tools beyond and above the horizontal measures of support of the economy, such as the Register of Artists through which they have more than € 106 million to cultural workers and professionals “.
He also stressed that “care for the industry continues and will continue as long as it is affected by the effects of the pandemic”, with the most recent example being the special purpose compensation in January 2022 for music and related specialties registered in the Artists Register. As he characteristically said, “we have proposed measures as we do all the time, because managing the effects of the pandemic is an ongoing and dynamic process.”
Regarding the Register, which was created as a tool for mapping, but also to support the industry in the midst of the pandemic, the Undersecretary welcomed the fact that “although the opposition to the principle of operation of the Register reacted negatively and disparagingly, it now recognizes its necessity and usefulness.” .
Pointing out that many issues facing the industry “are not due to the pandemic, but to the absence of any strategy in recent years, and are exacerbated by the pandemic” Mr. Giatromanolakis announced the “Working Charter for Culture” project that deals with the treatment of chronic labor and insurance issues of the employees of the sector, and is implemented within the framework of the Recovery Fund in cooperation with the Ministries of Culture and Sports, Labor and Social Affairs and Finance and will be put in consultation with the bodies of culture. He recalled that the government had secured half a billion euros in resources for culture through the Recovery Fund.
In a more specific reference to the book industry, Nikolas Giatromanolakis stressed that the government has reduced the VAT from 24% to 6% on e-books and audiobooks, while making special reference to the Greeklit translation grant program launched in 2021 and aimed at promoting of Greek letters abroad. He stressed, at the same time, “the need for a comprehensive and unified policy in the field of books, which will be ensured by a relevant draft law that is being drafted and will be consulted in the near future.”
Finally, he stressed that the Ministry of Culture is launching actions to strengthen the book industry amounting to approximately 10 million euros through the Recovery Fund.
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