Pavlos Polakis debates insurance and social benefits in Greek Parliament

During a debate in the Hellenic Parliament regarding a bill from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, SYRIZA MP Pavlos Polakis argued that professional insurance should be treated as a social right rather than an individual responsibility or a capitalized product. He criticized efforts to increase the involvement of private insurance companies in the pension system, warning that market volatility could shift financial risks onto workers.

Polakis also addressed the fiscal feasibility of reinstating the 13th and 14th month salaries and the 13th pension. He estimated the total cost for these measures at approximately 3.7 billion euros. To fund this, he proposed increasing taxes on dividends, banks, and energy refineries. He specifically noted that while some citizens receive dividends totaling 3.8 billion euros taxed at only 5%, higher taxation on these distributions could cover the necessary costs.