Greek government: Minimum wage will not be reduced again

 

The Finance ministry issued a notice: Regarding the question raised at a meeting of the Association of Insurance Companies of Greece on the minimum wage in the country, the Finance Ministry notes that there was a just a simple presentation of Eurostat figures in this conference. Obviously, for the Greek government there is no issue of minimum wage."

 

The issue brought the intervention by FinMin Yannis Stournaras, who said "we first raised the issue of the correction of the Troika error and Tsipras today, 24 hours later, is telling us what is quite obvious. In the same demagogic way he claims that the minimum wage in Greece will be reduced, when there is no such issue."

 

In the same announcement, the FinMin also published a new statement by its secretary general Yorgos Mergos, in which he says that "in my speech today at the Association of Insurance Companies, I presented my personal views on how we can enhance the development and competitiveness of the Greek economy. A quote by Eurostat on the level of the minimum wage in the countries of Europe was isolated from the whole speech. I never asked for a reduction in the minimum wage, which in Greece is already very low. In my speech, I analyze how competitiveness should come from improved productivity of the system and not another reduction of wages. This was unfortunately suppressed, leading to false impressions."

 

A senior DIMAR member, invited by protothema.gr to comment on Mergos’ statement, said "we do not share his views. They do not reflect our own opinions."

 

PASOK said Mergos "has no knowledge of the situation concerning the living standards of the Greeks."

 

Among others things, Dimitrias Stratoulis of SYRIZA said "PASOK and DIMAR should not be proud of Mergos."

 

Speaking at the general meeting of the Insurance Companies earlier on Tuesday, Mergos considered that the reduction in the minimum wage in the private sector was unsatisfactory, saying it remains high compared to other countries, despite the cuts. Mergos added that "labor costs per unit declined in Greece, but the minimum wage remains high and we must be careful with it on our way to development."

 

The same argument was also included in the Troika report before the disbursement of the tranche in January.