Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris and Panagiotis Stampoulidis, Executive Director of Greece’s Growthfund, signed on Monday a new agreement on tenders for services related to migrants. This is part of broader efforts to reduce ministry expenditure.
The Migration Ministry expects overall spending to drop by 30%, from €400 million to €288 million, through restructuring the benefits system and rationalising expenses. Tenders are expected to contribute to this reduction.
Referring to the HELIOS housing programme, Plevris said that funding previously provided as rent subsidies to asylum applicants ‘will be directed towards career training and Greek language courses’.
The minister added that migrants seeking asylum who choose to remain in Greece “will be provided with work options and integration through employment, not subsidies”. ‘This is our approach: whoever is granted asylum in Greece will no longer live on subsidies at the expense of European and Greek taxpayers. They will be given the opportunity to work; therefore, homes currently located in the centre of Athens will be released onto the market,” Plevris said.
Independent housing facilities will be moved outside central Athens and financial support for those granted asylum will be reduced by up to 50%, covering only essential needs under the European Union framework.
The tenders cover food and all services at migrant facilities, including security, cleanliness and maintenance. Stampoulidis said that the Growth Fund will provide technical expertise in implementing complex tenders under the agreement.
[AMNA]