Authorities have tabled a draft legislative amendment to prevent the “unfair” seizure, for debts to the public sector, of one-off state subsidies to the parents of schoolchildren with hearing problems, the Finance Ministry said late Monday.
A ministry statement said the decision followed a TV story on a mother who had reportedly not applied for the grant that would have paid for her child’s hearing aids because she was afraid that, if paid into her bank account, it would be automatically confiscated due to tax debts.
The proposed amendment would protect such subsidies – provided by the Education Ministry – from confiscation due to debts to tax authorities, local administration, social security funds or other state bodies as well as banks.
“No child should be prevented from receiving a subsidy that was created to cover its needs” Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis said. “And no parent should be afraid that a subsidy meant for their child will never reach it.”
TAXATION BANKING KYRIAKOS PIERRAKAKIS
