Government handout of 215 mln euros to be distributed next week

A government handout of 215 million euros stemming from a primary surplus overrun will be distributed next week, spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Tuesday.

The so-called social dividend has been raised by 40 million euros from an initial estimate of 175 million euros and will benefit around a million individuals in 307,000 households instead of the original 250,000, Petsas told Antenna TV.

The government spokesman said that the one-off handout, which was increased thanks to additional leeway permitted by calculations for the 2020 budget in November, is expected to be distributed on Monday or Tuesday next week.