Three more ministers of the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government, one active and two former ones, have requested rent subsidies, private Skai TV reported on Tuesday just hours after two ministers were shown the exit door for the same reason.
According to documents seen by Skai, alternate energy and research minister Constantinos Fotakis, former alternate economy minister Dimitris Mardas and former deputy minister for productive reorganization Panagiotis Sgouridis (ANEL) also applied for the subsidy.
A sum of 5,000 euros was approved for Fotakis and of 7,000 euros for Sgouridis, reported.
Fotakis told the private TV, that the money might have been credited to his account but that he never spent it as his accommodation in Athens was settled in another way.
Sgouridis, on his part, said he received 350 euros for the t months he served the coalition government. “I was paying 50 euros per month for a room in Egaleo” suburb of Piraeus, Sgouridis said adding he has all receipts for the expense.
Former Minister Mardas admitted he was receiving the subsidy as a non-elected Minister from February to August 2015, according to media 4,000 euros. In a statement he wrote he did not do anything wrong as it was a legislation and that he was willing to return the amount. In the elections of September 2015, he was elected MP and he is probably keep receiving the subsidy as all MPs coming from several regions outside Attica.
According to protothema, Mardas was the minister who proposed the legislation for himself and a few ministers, not elected members of the Parliament. the legislation was voted in August 2015 together with the draft for the 3. bailout agreement.
Some media report about a fourth minister, an alternate minister who has been receiving also the subsidy.
The Prime Minister is determined to cancel this legislation.
However, it is kind of embarrassing for the government spokesman to claim “we were not aware of this legislation as it was voted together with the bailout agreement.
PS As the Greek society presses for cuts in lawmakers’ benefits, we should start a campaign “Adopt an MP” if the rent subsidies are cut or they get evicted from hotels. He or she could pay something like 300-400 euro per month for a room with use of bathroom, kitchen and living room, utilities share and cleaning service.
