Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis revealed plans to raise the country’s minimum wage to €880 starting April 1, 2025, during his address to the Cabinet on Tuesday.
The announcement marks the fifth increase in the minimum wage since 2019, reflecting the government’s ongoing efforts to bolster workers’ incomes and stimulate economic growth.
The new minimum wage will rise from its current level of €830, representing a 6.02% increase. Alongside this, the minimum daily wage will also see a proportional hike, moving from €37.07 to €39.30. Mitsotakis emphasised that the measure aims to enhance workers’ disposable income, boost purchasing power, support livelihoods, and further drive Greece’s economic recovery.
This latest adjustment brings the cumulative increase in the minimum wage since 2019 to an impressive 35.4%. According to the Prime Minister, this translates to a gain equivalent to roughly five additional minimum wages from 2019 levels per year for workers. “The total increase of 35.4% since 2019 is nearly double the cumulative inflation rate of 18.1% over the same period,” Mitsotakis noted. “This means the real income of workers is being significantly protected.”
Greece now ranks 11th among the 22 European Union member states with a statutory minimum wage. Looking ahead, the government has set an ambitious target of raising the minimum wage to €950 by 2027, signaling a continued commitment to improving living standards.
The announcement has been met with optimism as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the Greek economy, which has been steadily recovering since the challenges of the past decade. For Greek workers, the increase offers a tangible boost amid global economic uncertainties.
(Source: To Vima)