Basic Wage to be Increased as of January, Says Achtsioglou
Labour, Social Insurance and Social Solidarity Minister Efi Achtsioglou announced on Monday an increase to the basic wage as of January, in comments to ANT1 television. An amendment will be tabled in parliament next week that will speed along the procedure, said the minister. The hike to the basic wage is a process that will start immediately and will require four months to be completed, she added. At the same time she said she was confident that the government will manage to convince lenders that the reduction in pensions is not a necessary structural measure, highlighting that there is room for negotiations between the two sides. She described as obsessive the position of the International Monetary Fund during Greece's second review when the government had asked for there to be no cut to pensions. The minister also noted that the stance of European partners was different.