Handouts for 2.3 million people

About 2.3 million citizens who belong to the most vulnerable social groups will share the amount of 353 million euros from the budgetary overperformance, the government announced on Thursday.

"We were committed to scraping the bottom of the barrel to find the required resources to support our most vulnerable fellow citizens. The overperformance of the economy and by extension the overperformance of the budget facilitated our effort," said Minister of National Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis. In total, amounts reaching €717 million will be granted in December and they include the measures that have already been announced, such as the allowance of €100-200 to pensioners with a "personal difference" (the difference between pensions issued before and after May 2016), double the Market Pass amount and its extension for November and in December for citizens in areas affected...