ESAMEA requests disability threshold reduction for elected officials

The National Confederation of Persons with Disabilities (ESAMEA) has submitted a formal request to the Minister of Interior, Theodoros Livanios, to amend a recent Joint Ministerial Decision regarding compensation for elected officials in municipalities and regions.

ESAMEA is calling for the minimum certified disability percentage required to receive a 20% salary increase to be reverted to 50%. Under a new regulation, the required threshold was raised from 50% to 67%, which the Confederation argues excludes many elected individuals with disabilities who previously qualified for the financial support.

The organization is also requesting that any changes be applied retroactively from the start of the new Local Government Code to compensate for financial losses incurred since July 2026. ESAMEA emphasized that this measure is vital for supporting the participation of persons with disabilities in local government and should remain consistent with existing labor laws for protected categories.