The allocation of 20 million euros from the primary surplus to support the homeless is a measure of relief but when it is offered in a way that clearly serves pre-election purposes it shows the government’s deficit in realizing the problem, Democratic Left leader Fotis Kouvelis said on Tuesday referring to the government’s announcement on homeless support actions.

Greece is the only country in the European Union that does not have a social housing network, Kouvelis added and pointed out that it is the only country that has not legislated the guaranteed minimum income either nationally or locally.

“The challenge for our country is to meet these basic needs for citizens experiencing extreme poverty and at the same time support their socio-economic integration, through constantly financed actions”, Mr Kouvelis noted.

He clarified that the The funding for these social services should be covered jointly by European Structural Funds and state resources, pointing out that “there is a need to change the policy and connect fiscal adjustment to social protection”.