World Bank prepares plan for low income groups

By Katerina Sokou

The World Bank is working toward aiding low income groups in Greece by offering the government its know-how following the latter’s request for help, a senior official at the international financial institution has told Kathimerini.

“The World Bank has been invited by the Greek Labor Ministry to design pilot programs for the strengthening of lower income groups,” confirmed Dirk Reinermann, the head of the bank’s Europe and Central Asia unit. He added that the government is waiting to see these programs succeed before expanding them.

“The programs will supply social assistance to the poorer and more vulnerable members of society, supporting the minimum guaranteed income following the monitoring of their resources,” said Reinermann.

This follows a 2012 request by the Development Ministry for know-how to help it improve competitiveness in Greece as well as boost private sector investment. Reinermann noted that the World Bank’s 2014 Doing Business report found that, proportionally speaking, Greece was the country with the biggest rise in new enterprises, which he qualified as an “impressive” feat.