The government will table a supplementary budget of nearly 600 million euros over the massive cost to the economy of the 'Daniel' storm, National Economy & Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis told ANT 1 TV on Wednesday.
In statements to the television station, Hatzidakis said that 450 million euros of the total would be earmarked for state aid and 150 million euros for farmers.
Although projections of damage cost are being done based on the damage of the 2020 'Ianos' cyclone, he clarified, the first official assessment would be included in the draft of the first new state budget in the beginning of October.
Asked about the prime minister's upcoming policy statement at the Thessaloniki International Fair (which was postponed from last week due to Daniel), he said that the government was committed to the supplementary pensions for certain categories of pensioners and to raising the solidarity bonus. Conversely, he added that the market pass cards for households' supermarket bills would not be extended further, due to Daniel's cost.
Hatzidakis also said among others that the target for a primary surplus of 0.7% of GDP was unnegotiable and that it would be a mistake to ask the European Commission to relax its fiscal policy, because it would convey the message that Greece will start rolling back into the crisis again.
Regarding the subsidies for household heating bills, the minister said that this winter the government would do the same as last year, with a subsidy at source. In terms of profiteering on basic goods in Thessaly, especially bottled water, the minister said "there will be no mercy with price-gouging."
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