The fifth installment of the refundable advance payment will be paid in January, as announced by the prime minister on Tuesday, December 15. Kyriakos Mitsotakis from the floor of Parliament, during the debate on the budget of 2021. The relevant provision stipulates a minimum aid threshold 1,000 euros for the businesses, them eligible freelancers, scientists, and farmers who present turnover decline of more than 20%.
«We will do everything we can to help retailers save as much of their turnover as possible. And we will not apologize for this... Because I know that many entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, and shopkeepers had invested heavily in this Christmas season, in consultation with the economic team, today I am announcing another measure of protection and relief. For all businesses who have been affected by the restrictions, which will remain closed during the holidays, rent is reduced for January and February by 80%... Businesses will only pay 20% of the rent,» he noted. Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
How €5.1 billion was distributed – Who received it
The amount received by companies in the first four rounds of the program amounts to €5.1 billion. Refundable Advance Payment, with the lion's share going to catering and tourism. Most of the money ended up in hotels and restaurants, with Athens leading the way and Thessaloniki following.
Specifically, based on the data presented by the Minister of Finance, Christos Staikouras, in Parliament, it appears that of the 5.1 billion from the first four rounds, most was distributed to hotels, rented rooms, cafes, bars, restaurants, taverns, gas stations, and kiosks.
In particular, they were reinforced with:
- €290 million for hotels and an additional €60 million allocated to rental rooms
- Restaurants shared €112 million, an amount that is increased by an additional €82 million in taverns, €56.7 million in coffee bars, and €36.4 million in refreshment bars.
- 50.2 million euros gas stations that submitted applications in the fourth cycle of the refundable advance payment.
- Kiosk operators shared €44.6 million
- 39.5 million euros for clothing stores
- 33.6 million euros for real estate developers
At the prefecture level, Attica ranks first with €1.983 billion, followed by the prefecture of Thessaloniki with €420 million for 36,530 beneficiaries, the Cyclades with €312 million for 12,399 beneficiaries, the Dodecanese with €285 million for 13,332 beneficiaries, and Chania with €149.3 million for 9,982 beneficiaries.
