A top minister in Greece this week essentially announced another "holiday bonus" for 2017, saying the leftist-rightist coalition government will distribute 1,000 euros to one million people, whereas the approval of the country's institutional creditors should be considered as a "given".
Minister of State Christoforos Vernardakis made the announcement during an interview given to a ruling SYRIZA-party affiliated radio station.
His comment harks back to December 2016 when the Tsipras government approved a 617-million "yuletide bonus" 1.6 million pensioners in the country receiving less than 800 euros in monthly pension benefits, regardless of their assets or other means.
"Last year their (creditors) objection was the fact that (eligible) populations (in society) could have been more targeted for its (bonus) allocation. In principle, there was no objection, but on how and to whom," he claimed.
He added that any decision over a 2017 "holiday bonus" will be taken in early December.
Among others, European Stability Mechanism (ESM) Managing Director Klaus Regling maintained that the Tsipras government's plan last December was not previously discussed with creditors.
Berlin had also expressed its surprise over the one-off benefit for around 60 percent of Greece's pensioners.
