The Tsipras government’s “holiday bonus” for 2018 to low-income beneficiaries in the country will range from 200 to 1,200 euros, with some 1.3 million households reportedly meeting the criteria, which includes a maximum allowed value for assets.
Based on the finance ministry decision, which was published in the government gazette this week, the one-off “social dividend”, as the government calls terms it, will be 50 to 150 euros less than the amount eligible beneficiaries received last year.
Conversely, the maximum value for real estate n order to qualify, has been raised. The latter move aims to ensure that recent increases in objective tax criteria for property does not cause the exclusion of beneficiaries who received the cash last year with the same income.
The 770-million welfare benefit will be allocated to each eligible individual within a household.
The poll-trailing leftist-rightist coalition government has deflected sharp criticism that the spending measure, repeated for a third year in a row, aims to curry favor with disadvantaged voters ahead of next year’s general election. Top ministers have maintained that the excess money is the byproduct of exceeding fiscal targets, a performance based on a direct and indirect tax “tsunami” unleashed in 2016, as well as a crackdown on tax and contributions evasion.
