by the Social Service of the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow

The income support provided through the welfare program “Guaranteed Minimum Income” (GMI) is the only means of financial aid for hundreds of thousands of Greek citizens as well as foreigners living in Greece in conditions of extreme poverty. The beneficiaries of the program are defined through income and other property criteria, which have been determined with a view to its distribution as fair as possible.

However, in practice, it is noted that sometimes, decisions concerning the general economic policy leading indirectly to the redefinition of living standards, exclude from the specific financial support, individuals and families whose real financial situation does not justify this exclusion. 

Such an example is the recent redefinition of the objective property values and their increase, especially in the center of Athens. Due to this change, beneficiaries of the “Guaranteed Minimum Income” program, who are beneficiaries of the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow, are excluded from its payment, due to the rise of the objective value of their property, in which they live.

Mrs. E.X. case

The case of E.X., beneficiary of the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow, is one among many other serious cases. The objective value of her apartment increased from 60,000 to 115,000 euros, thus far exceeding the limit of 90,000 established for the GMI. This woman has no other income, is over 55 years old and suffers a lot of health problems that make the financial support of the “Guaranteed Minimum Income” literally a matter of survival.

Finally, it is worth noting that this condition does not only concern the GMI, as the specific asset limit is applied to determine the beneficiaries of other social benefits, such as the uninsured elderly pension, etc.

Learn more about the welfare program “Guaranteed Minimum Income”, by visiting the webpage of the Greek Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: https://ypergasias.gov.gr/en/combating-poverty/.

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*From 1/8/2021 till 31/7/2022, the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow operation is supported through a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in the framework of its global COVID-19 Relief Initiative.

**From 1/7/2021 till 30/6/2022, Kahane Foundation supports the Psychosocial service of the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow.

*** The Athens Solidarity Center is also supported by the Municipality of Athens.