The German Foreign Minister, Analena Baerbock, visited SolidarityNow’s Athens Solidarity Center on Thursday 28^th July, on the first day of her arrival in Greece, where a discussion was held with representatives of civil society organizations.

The Chairman of SolidarityNow’s Board of Directors, Mr. Stelios Zavvos, welcomed the Minister to the Athens Solidarity Center and coordinated the discussion aiming to share information about the current situation of migration in Greece, the work of the participating organizations and the role of other European countries in managing the issue. The visit was an initiative of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German Embassy in Greece, and the discussion was attended by the German Ambassador to Greece, Dr. Ernst Reichel. The representatives of the other three organizations which participated were: Lefteris Papagiannakis, Greek Council for Refugees, Alexandros Chrysomallos, Equal Rights Beyond Borders, and Maria Moudatsou, PRAKSIS.

“It is with great pleasure that we welcomed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Baerbock, at our emblematic Solidarity Center in Athens where we had the opportunity to present the work carried to support the most vulnerable members of our society and, together with the representatives of other organizations, to inform her of the issues concerning refugees and migrants in our country, but also to emphasize the solidarity with which Greeks have welcome refugees in recent years and the need for further practical support from Europe, always in the spirit and vision of European solidarity”, Mr. Zavvos stated at the end of the visit.

“It is extremely positive that the German Minister of Foreign Affairs held a meeting with representatives of NGOs active in Refugee and Migration issues. On this occasion, and on behalf of the Greek Council for Refugees, she was informed about issues of pushbacks, reception, and difficulty in accessing asylum, the lack of a national policy for integration, and the criminalization of solidarity, and the action of NGOs”, Lefteris Papagiannakis, Director of the Greek Council for Refugees.

“At the meeting with the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, we had the opportunity to highlight the issue of the complete lack of integration prospects for recognized refugees in Greece, as well as the implementation of a policy to deter migratory flows, either through obstacles in accessing the asylum process on the islands and the mainland, when returns to Turkey have been suspended, or through a systematic reduction in benefits for asylum seekers. We also expressed our concern about returns of recognized and rejected applicants from Germany to Greece within the framework of Dublin refugees in the future, as this would constitute a violation of fundamental rights and expose them to pushbacks, exploitation, and inhumane living conditions”, Alexandros Chrysomallos, Equal Rights Beyond Borders. 

“On behalf of PRAKSIS, we informed the German Foreign Minister on issues relating to refugee and migrant support, the needs, gaps, and weaknesses of social inclusion, as well as our concerns for the immediate future. Reception, housing, vulnerable population groups, issues related to central policy in support of refugees and migrants, were the main topics discussed”, Maria Moudatsou, Vice-President of the Board of Directors of PRAKSIS.

Beneficiaries of the “Guaranteed Minimum Income” are excluded from its payment due to an increase in the objective value of their property

The Social Service of SolidarityNow’s Athens Solidarity Center observes an increase in people visiting the Center in an effort to understand why they are no longer entitled to financial support through the “Minimum Guaranteed Income” (MGI) program.

The MGI is a unique source of income for hundreds of thousands of Greek citizens and foreigners living in Greece, below the poverty line. The beneficiaries of this aid are determined by income and other property criteria, which have been determined on the basis of its fairest possible distribution.

In practice, however, it can be observed that sometimes decisions concerning general economic policy and indirectly leading to the redefinition of the presumptions of subsistence exclude from the MGI individuals and families whose real economic situation does not justify this exclusion.

Such an example is the recent redefinition of the objective values of real estate and their increase, especially in neighborhoods of the center of Athens. Due to this development, MGI beneficiaries, who are beneficiaries of SolidarityNow’s Solidarity Center in Athens, are excluded from its payment, due to the increase in the objective value of their property, in which they live.

A typical case is the case of a Center’s beneficiary, whose objective apartment value was increased from 60,000 to 115,000 euros, thus far exceeding the limit of 90,000 established for the MGI. This woman has no other income, she is over 55 years old and faces health problems, which make the payment of the Minimum Guaranteed Income literally a matter of survival.

Finally, it is worth noting that this development does not concern only MGI, as this property limit is applied to determine the beneficiaries and other social benefits, such as the pension of uninsured elderly people, etc.

by the Social Service of the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow

The income support provided through the welfare program “Guaranteed Minimum Income” (GMI) is the only means of financial aid for hundreds of thousands of Greek citizens as well as foreigners living in Greece in conditions of extreme poverty. The beneficiaries of the program are defined through income and other property criteria, which have been determined with a view to its distribution as fair as possible.

However, in practice, it is noted that sometimes, decisions concerning the general economic policy leading indirectly to the redefinition of living standards, exclude from the specific financial support, individuals and families whose real financial situation does not justify this exclusion. 

Such an example is the recent redefinition of the objective property values and their increase, especially in the center of Athens. Due to this change, beneficiaries of the “Guaranteed Minimum Income” program, who are beneficiaries of the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow, are excluded from its payment, due to the rise of the objective value of their property, in which they live.

Mrs. E.X. case

The case of E.X., beneficiary of the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow, is one among many other serious cases. The objective value of her apartment increased from 60,000 to 115,000 euros, thus far exceeding the limit of 90,000 established for the GMI. This woman has no other income, is over 55 years old and suffers a lot of health problems that make the financial support of the “Guaranteed Minimum Income” literally a matter of survival.

Finally, it is worth noting that this condition does not only concern the GMI, as the specific asset limit is applied to determine the beneficiaries of other social benefits, such as the uninsured elderly pension, etc.

Learn more about the welfare program “Guaranteed Minimum Income”, by visiting the webpage of the Greek Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: https://ypergasias.gov.gr/en/combating-poverty/.

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*From 1/8/2021 till 31/7/2022, the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow operation is supported through a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in the framework of its global COVID-19 Relief Initiative.

**From 1/7/2021 till 30/6/2022, Kahane Foundation supports the Psychosocial service of the Athens Solidarity Center by SolidarityNow.

*** The Athens Solidarity Center is also supported by the Municipality of Athens.

In a celebration organized by Solidarity Now, students from Ukraine were donated school items by Public!

Today, SolidarityNow, Public, and Desmos welcomed 80 children, students at the Ukrainian Community’s Sunday School and the “Homework & Creative Activities Center” of SolidarityNow in the organization’s Athens Solidarity Center.

The aim of organizing this event was to distribute school supplies donated by Public to children from Ukraine, thus contributing to the creation of a safe environment and smooth integration into the Greek school environment. During the event, children had the opportunity to take part in educational and entertaining activities implemented by the SolidarityNow teachers. They also had the chance to get to know each other and acquire all the necessary equipment for the new school year!

“At a time when the concepts of peace and safety are not obvious, all of us- at Public- join forces with leading bodies from Civil Society to create a more inclusive tomorrow, based on solidarity and compassion. It is our great pleasure to work with SolidarityNow and DESMOS and offer to the Ukrainian children equal access to education along with some useful supplies to help them make a fresh start in the next school year”, Ilina Pomaska, Head of Brand PR & Engagement at Public Group.

“At SolidarityNow we are always next to the children who were forced to leave their school environment, their home and country because of the war. Today, following the donation made by Public, and the support of Desmos, we -all together- offered the necessary school supplies to students from Ukraine for the next school year. SolidarityNow’s priority is to support the inclusion of refugee and migrant children in formal education, and this is made feasible through the provision of non-formal educational services in the context of the “All Children in Education” program implemented with the support of UNICEF in open accommodation structures throughout Greece”, Marilyn Polena, General Director of SolidarityNow.

“We are extremely proud to contribute to the proper integration of the children-refugees from Ukraine into the Greek schools. Desmos is the most reliable connecting link for donations in Greece and -always true to our mission-, we made sure that the significant Public’s donation of stationery and school supplies was used in the best possible way by SolidarityNow specialized team so that the children feel as ready as possible for the next school year”, Ekavi Vallera, Director of Strategic Planning of the Non-Profit Association DESMOS.

*From 1/8/2021 to 31/7/2022 the operation of the Athens Solidarity Center is supported by a donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), as part of the SNF’s International COVID-19 Action Initiative to Combat the Consequences of the Pandemic.

*The “Pathway for All Children in Education” program is implemented with the support and funding of UNICEF Greece.