Pensioners in Greece are feeling the hit of the rising global inflation and are struggling to keep up with the increasing cost of living including the energy prices taking a toll on households.
Greek pensioner, Christos Vassilopoulos spoke to international media about his rising monthly bills and said that the totals are huge.
“My pension has not changed. Things are becoming ever more expensive. What can be done? Prices are going up like crazy.” the pensioner said.
“You go to the market and find a product that sells for, say, three euros. The next day, the same thing costs six euros already.”
In 2023, the government will raise pensions by up to 7% for the first time in 12 years but for Vassilopoulos it is not enough to mitigate the financial damage that this will do to his and many others’ household bills.
The Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) reports that in September, Greece’s inflation rate was 12 percent. Natural gas prices increased by 332 percent in the same month compared to the same time in 2021, while heating oil and electricity prices increased by 65.1 and 30.5 percent, respectively.
In early October, the country’s pensioners’ associations staged a protest in the capital, demanding an increase in the minimum pension from 384 euros to 650 euros per month.
“How can a family live on 400 euros?” said another pensioner, Evgenia.
Source: English.news.cn
