Greece reports record employment and rising wages

Greek Labor Minister Niki Kerameus reported record-high employment levels in Greece, noting that the employment rate has reached 72.2% and female employment has hit a historic high of 63.6%. Unemployment has dropped from 18% to below 8%, representing 563,000 more workers in the market compared to 2019.

Regarding wages, the minimum wage has risen from 650 euros in 2019 to 920 euros, with government targets to reach 950 euros by April 2027 and 1,000 euros by January 2028. The average wage has already reached 1,530 euros, surpassing the initial 1,500 euro goal, with a new target of 1,800 euros by 2030.

Addressing recent political controversy, Deputy Labor Minister Kostas Karagounis clarified that there are no government plans to abolish unemployment benefits. He stated that recent comments regarding potential cuts were the personal opinion of government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis rather than an official policy decision, emphasizing that unemployment benefits are a right for workers who have paid their contributions.