By Penelope Galliou
Continuing to place the social policy and the daily life of the citizens at the forefront of the government’s work, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, capturing exactly this, “came forward” and announced himself the increase of the minimum wage by 50 euros from May 1st. An increase that, as the Prime Minister noted in his message, “reaches the extreme limits of the economy” but is a political decision of the government. “A decision of responsibility and solidarity” as he characterized it, with his main concern “not to disrupt social cohesion” in the difficult times we live in.
However, an increase that also gathered the reactions of the opposition, as it considers it insufficient, with each party outbiding the position of the opposition, with whatever amount it deems appropriate to face the suffocating conditions created by the energy crisis and the consequent price increases in the market. .
Who benefits from the increase
“From May 1, the basic salary increases by 50 euros per month. From 663 it rises to 713 euros,” said the prime minister, explaining that this is an amount which, combined with the first installment of January, is equivalent to a total increase of 9.7 % in relation to the minimum wage of 2021. “Simply put, the almost 650,000 workers in this category will earn more than an extra net wage per year. A 15th wage is henceforth added to their income,” he said, adding. “I note that our initiative is reaching the extremes of the economy. The rate of increase of the first salary has greatly concerned the competent committee, the social partners, as well as the Minister of Labor. But it is our political decision”.
At the same time, Kyriakos Mitsotakis explained that the increase in the minimum wage increases the unemployment benefit by 31 euros each month, while as he said “it is, at the same time, a call to employers to move accordingly to the other categories of employees.”
The reactions of the opposition
The correlation of the increase of the minimum wage with the suffocating conditions of precision experienced by the households, was inevitable by all the opposition parties.
In a statement, SYRIZA spoke of an insufficient increase that took place under the panic of the citizens ‘anger and claims that “This increase has already evaporated from the unprecedented conditions of accuracy and ultimately covers a minimal part of the reduction of workers’ purchasing power. In short, Mr. Mitsotakis is the Prime Minister during the days whose salary does not even reach the electricity bills “. The party of the official opposition promises that “The new progressive government that will emerge after the victory of SYRIZA PS in the elections of the simple proportional, will immediately proceed to the increase of the basic salary to 800 euros, will remove the labor jungle of Mr. Mitsotaki and Hatzidaki and will drastically reduce the bills brought to the knees of the popular households “.
PASOK-Movement for Change also focuses its criticism on the accuracy, noting that it consumes the incomes of the citizens and proposes that the import salary be returned to 751 euros and then the free collective agreements come into force. “Only in this way will society remain upright, disposable income will be supported and the national product will grow in a healthy and sustainable way by creating new and better paid jobs,” he said in a statement.
The KKE is talking about a well-publicized increase in the minimum wage, which will disappear before it is even given, due to the eruption of accuracy, proposing in turn a minimum wage of 825 euros, the signing of sectoral and business contracts with increases. higher than inflation.
The Hellenic Solution also characterized the increase as “without face”, commenting that “it has already evaporated from the sharp price increases”, while MERA 25 characterized it as an “insult for the low paid” with Giannis Varoufakis calling on the Prime Minister “the 50 euros to give to his company “.
“Rehearsal” of pre-election confrontation
The Prime Minister in his announcements, again sent a message of support to the citizens by choosing the language of truth and acknowledging that he will avoid the reassuring predictions “in a global environment covered by uncertainty” as he said and added “I remain faithful to the language of truth and “That’s the way of care and effort. That’s my only firm commitment is one: in the face of any difficulty, to be by your side,” he concluded.
After all, for a long time now, the Prime Minister himself has set the stage for his priorities at the moment, putting high on his agenda the citizen and his daily life, which are affected by the price increases in energy and basic goods.
It is a priority favored by all parties, as over time it has been a “shining field of glory” for the opposition, but also an important “supply” for a government that has to show social work.
So even if the prime minister avoids surprise with early ballots and the elections take place in the late spring of 2023, as he has repeatedly stated, the coming months, as the climate unfolds, will be an informal, but by far, pre-election period. , in which the polarization and the dilemmas of the parties towards the voters will prevail. Dilemmas that are expected to be based, if not entirely, but to a significant degree, on the energy crisis and the problems it raises in households and businesses. In this context, the government, with the social policy that it has put on its political agenda, “builds” the argumentation of the dilemmas that it will set to the citizens, giving special emphasis to the stability and security of the country and the citizen.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
