Greece to increase minimum wage by €50 a month from April 1

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced an increase of 50 ($53.9) a month to the country s minimum wage for employees, lifting the amount...

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced an increase of €50 ($53.9) a month to the country’s minimum wage for employees, lifting the amount to €830 from €780.

The decision will take effect from April 1st and relieves workers "without affecting the strength of the economy and the competitiveness of businesses,” Mitsotakis said on Friday at a meeting of his cabinet in Athens. The government’s aim is to bring the minimum wage to €950 per month by 2027, he added.

The country’s economy has made a remarkable recovery since 2010, when the Greek debt crisis started. Greek economic growth outperformed European peers in 2023, and ratings firms returned the country to investment-grade status.

Despite the strong recovery, Greeks have been struggling with low wages, increased consumer prices, elevated energy costs and a persistent housing crisis.

Greece belongs to a group of European countries with a national minimum wage that’s equal to or less than €1,000 a month, according to Eurostat. These countries include Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, and Romania.