Campaign heats up in Greece; incumbent Mitsotakis announces 3 measures for property owners, 18-year-olds, civil servants

The campaign period in Greece continues to heat up in the east Mediterranean country ahead of the May 21 general election, with incumbent Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announcing a trio of welfare measures, assuming he forms another government after the ballot.

Speaking from the Elefsina Shipyard, west of Piraeus in the greater Athens area, the center-right political leader announced a cut, by 10 percent, of an annual property if the owners retain an insurance policy against natural disasters.

The measure is calculated at 40 million euros, which would be the “hit” on state coffers.

A second measure is the permanent lump sum subsidy, the so-called “Freedom Pass”, of 150 euros to every Greek citizen when reaching their 18th birthday. The sum can be spent on travel, cultural or sports events.

This measure affects roughly 200,000 beneficiaries a year, and is billed as costing the state 30 million euros.

Finally, Mitsotakis announced an increase in the dependents/offspring allowance allocated to civil servants, with the measure forecast to cost the state 500 million euros on an annual basis.

Mitsotakis used the industrial complex and its assembled workers as his campaign rally venue because the unit was recently reopened during the ND government’s tenure.