New employment support programs launched in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
The meeting was attended by Regional Governor Christodoulos Topsidis, Minister of Labour and Social Security Niki Kerameus, and the leadership of the Public Employment Service (DYPA), including Governor Ioanna Hormova and Deputy Governor Vasilis Georgiadis.
The two initiatives are set to be implemented immediately and are designed to support job creation and work experience in the region.
The first program provides subsidies to businesses for the hiring of 2,000 unemployed individuals aged 18 and over in the private sector. Companies that recruit unemployed workers will receive financial support covering between 50% and 70% of total employment costs, including wages and social security contributions, depending on the applicable aid scheme. The maximum monthly subsidy will reach €875 for a period of 12 months. Applications through DYPA opened on Friday.
The second program focuses on providing work experience for 250 unemployed individuals, with particular emphasis on the livestock sector. The initiative will be implemented in cooperation with Hellenic Agricultural Organization “Dimitra” (ELGO-DIMITRA). The program will run for six months and participants will receive a monthly net allowance of €748.
Topsidis highlighted what he described as the “excellent cooperation” with Kerameus and the administration of DYPA, noting that the proposal for the livestock sector initiative had been submitted during a recent meeting with the minister in Athens, stressing the need for targeted support for workers in the sector.
During the meeting, the regional governor also requested the relaunch of the “55+ employment program,” which the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace is already implementing with the employment of 127 unemployed individuals aged over 55—the maximum number permitted for the region.
In addition, he called for the extension of the program for hiring people with disabilities to regional authorities, following the model currently implemented by municipalities.
“Government and Ministry of Labour initiatives on employment, combined with regional calls targeting highly skilled young people, self-employed professionals and social and solidarity economy organizations, converge toward a common goal: reducing unemployment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace,” Topsidis said.
Also participating in the meeting were Deputy Minister of Digital Governance Christos Dermentzopoulos, ruling party MPs for the Evros regional unit Anastasios Dimosschakis and Stavros Keletsis, Deputy Regional Governor of Evros Evangelos Poulilios, Deputy Regional Governor for Sports and Employment Stelios Ignatiadis, Deputy Regional Governor for Finance, Culture and Sports Fani Bacharidou, as well as mayors from across the region.
Source:ERTnews
