A package of social policy measures including a one-time allowances, free services , and reductions in municipal fees to support for families and addressing the low birth rate.
In a clear escalation of social policy with an emphasis on demographic strengthening and support for young families. By decision of the mayor, Stelios Angelousis, the Municipality of Thessaloniki is moving forward with a package of measures that combines financial incentives, social benefits, and local tax breaks. The plan, which was presented to the city council, is part of a broader strategy to address low birth rates and financial pressure on young couples, aiming to create a more stable support framework for families with children, with targeted measures that begin with the first child and increase for the third and fourth.
A 1,000-euro lump-sum allowance, a one-time payment, for families having a third or fourth child, announced Stelios Angeloudis during the Thessaloniki City Council meeting on social policy.
The decision
The mayor of Thessaloniki also proposed the free provision of “baby diapers,” for one year, for the third and fourth children, as well as a 70% reduction in municipal fees for young couples having their first child, for a period of three years, with no income requirements.
Among the measures it also aims to pass is the creation of a home-based maternity support program with a social worker, as well as facilitating access to the national program “Neighborhood Nannies.”
“Supporting families, helping young couples, and addressing the housing crisis as much as possible is not just social policy. It is a policy for the very future of the city. The new strategy of the Municipality of Thessaloniki does not view social policy as a series of fragmented interventions, but as a comprehensive plan for a city that stands firmly by its people, families, the younger generation, the elderly, and our most vulnerable fellow citizens,” he stated at the city council meeting.
