Guaranteed minimum income

The draft law on the taxation of self-employed professionals is being submitted to Parliament with small but essential corrections.

The Plenary of Cyprus' House of Representatives approved the supplementary state budget amounting to 361 million euros on Thursday, with criticism against the government's agreement for the purchase of the Metropolitan building in Nicosia, which will house the Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance.

Guaranteed minimum income will rise to BGN 75 from January 1, 2018, the government decided, reported BGNES.

The new size is BGN 10  more than it is at present. The aim is to improve the social protection system of the most vulnerable groups.

From the beginning of the next year, the monthly allowance for people with disabilities for rehabilitation and spa treatment increases from 195 to 225 levs. To this end, the Cabinet should approve the proposal to lift the guaranteed minimum income by BGN 10.

A document prepared by Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem referring to "social security measures" in Greece did not concern the need for additional pension reforms but other issues that included guaranteed minimum income, the Dutch finance minister's spokesman Michel Reijns said Wednesday.

Food stamps for the needy and possibly instituting a minimum guaranteed income program across the country are just some of the measures the leftist SYRIZA government hopes to combat what it calls a “humanitarian crisis” in the recession-plagued country.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced on Thursday a raise of the minimum gross wage to 1,200 lei in 2016, following an advance to 1,050 lei in July this year. (current exchange rate 1 leu = 0.225 euros).

Photo credit: (c) ADRIAN CUBA / AGERPRES FLOW

Social Minister and Deputy PM for social policy Ivaylo Kalfin has announced he will join trade unions' calls and insist on increasing the minimum wage by BGN 40.

Kalfin declared Tuesday he considered freezing of minimum income to be dangerous for the economy.