Greece: Protest against budget constrained by pandemic costs

Protesters, some of them wearing face masks against the spread of coronavirus, take part in a rally in Athens, Greece, Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021.
Protesters, some of them wearing face masks against the spread of coronavirus, take part in a rally in Athens, Greece, Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021. Copyright Yorgos Karahalis/AP
By AP
Share this articleComments
Share this articleClose Button

Some 2,000 people staged a protest during a parliamentary budget debate on Thursday to demand higher wages and pensions.

ADVERTISEMENT

Labour unions led by the Greek Communist Party staged a protest during a parliamentary budget debate on Thursday to demand a return of wage and pension levels that were axed during three successive international bailouts.

Some 2,000 protesters gathered in front of the parliament building in central Athens as lawmakers debated the 2022 budget, which includes a proposed 2% minimum wage increase that would take effect Jan. 1.

Bailouts financed by other eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund when Greece was on the brink of bankruptcy during 2010-2018 resulted in repeated salary and pension cuts. The minimum wage was reduced by more than 20% in 2012.

About half of the decrease was restored after the bailouts ended, and minimum currently is €758.33 on an average monthly basis.

Greek Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said despite 6.9% growth forecast for this year, spending on the health service and income support during the pandemic allow for only modest increases in social spending.

"This is not the pre-COVID era," Staikouras told Real FM radio."If the state revenues have improved a bit, that will go to reduce the deficit."

According to budget figures, public debt is expected to be 197.1% of gross domestic product this year, with a 7.3% budget deficit before debt obligations.

Share this articleComments

You might also like

Athens cautious as Greece prepares for another Christmas with COVID

Polish president Andrzej Duda calls on NATO members to raise defence spending to 3% of GDP

Scotland's Nicola Sturgeon says she felt 'overwhelmed' by COVID pandemic during testimony