Filenews 4 December 2024
The Council of Ministers approved the additional one-off financial assistance to beneficiaries of support for the mountain communities plan, the mountainous allowance, announced the Minister of Interior, Konstantinos Ioannou, stating that this support is equal to 50% of the amount they received or will receive in the coming period and the total cost of the additional assistance and allowance applied for. It is estimated at around €7.2 million.
The allowance is granted to permanent residents of mountainous areas to alleviate the problems they face due to the low temperatures recorded in communities located at an altitude of at least 600 meters on the basis of criteria and conditions, explained Mr. Ioannou. He recalled that as of May 2024, in the context of the national strategy for the revitalization of mountain communities and the policy of promoting the strengthening of mountainous areas, they had proceeded with the revision of specific conditions of the financial assistance plan.
Specifically, he said, the community of Troodos, the Municipality of Pano Lefkara were included in the plan, thus including more beneficiaries. In addition, he continued, they proceeded to increase the amount granted to retired beneficiaries from €85 to €165, equating it with the amount received by non-pensioners and thus correcting a distortion of the plan.
A provision excluding foreign students from the allowance because of their absence abroad was also amended. In 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, 10,000 households, corresponding to approximately 22,500 beneficiaries, benefited from the allowance with a total payment of €5.1 million.
For 2024, he added, so far about 23,000 applications from 128 regions have applied and the expenditure is estimated at €5.4 million.
The payment of the 50% emergency allowance for 2024 will begin and will be completed in January 2025.
