Pavlos Marinakis denies government plans to change unemployment benefits

Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis has clarified that there is no government plan to alter unemployment benefits, stating his previous comments were merely a personal opinion. He accused the opposition, specifically Alexis Tsipras and PASOK, of attempting to distort his statements to distract from their own economic programs.

New Democracy MP Dora Bakoyanni also addressed the matter, asserting that unemployment benefits are not up for discussion. She warned that any changes to the current system could exacerbate labor shortages in the tourism sector, particularly in regions like Crete, Mytilene, and Rhodes, as seasonal workers rely on these benefits during the winter months.

In a separate context, Marinakis discussed the role of the Supreme Court regarding political figures and noted that decisions regarding energy support measures will be finalized by late September. He ruled out reducing the Special Consumption Tax on fuels due to the high fiscal cost and minimal consumer benefit.