The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has stoked fresh concerns about energy costs and consumer prices, while existing relief measures are increasingly fall short of what households need.
However no new decisions will be made before Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis returns from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, which will begin Monday, April 13. Formal deliberations on any new support package are expected to begin the week of April 20.
Watching and Waiting
The scope of any intervention will depend on the trajectory of the fragile US-Iran ceasefire and its implications on energy prices. According to government sources, several scenarios are being examined, though no concrete decisions have been made, given the uncertainty surrounding the duration and severity of the crisis.
Greek officials also acknowledge that the current support measures that have been announced, such as price caps and fuel subsidies, have not kept pace with actual household needs. This is vividly illustrated in opinion polls that increasingly reflect the widespread dissatisfaction most Greeks are feeling with the prevailing economic situation.
Any response will also be shaped by how much fiscal headroom Athens has, and whether European leaders can finally agree on a coordinated response.
Fiscal Room to Act
Greece enters this period of uncertainty with more budgetary flexibility than many of its EU peers. The country’s primary surplus exceeded 4.5% of GDP in 2025, well above the official forecast of 3.6%. This year’s primary surplus is also expected to come in around 4% of GDP, again surpassing the 2.8% official target.
The stronger-than-expected fiscal performance is partly a function of a “carry-over” effect: the robust 2025 baseline has improved the starting point for 2026, giving the government additional room to maneuver without breaching its fiscal commitments.
The Market Pass, Explained
Among the measures being considered is a revival of the so-called Market Pass: a grocery subsidy scheme Greece first deployed in early 2023, during a previous bout of elevated inflation.
Under that program, more than 2.3 million households applied for these monthly subsidies, which range from €22 to €100, depending on family size. The funds could be used at supermarkets, open-air street markets, general grocery stores, butchers, bakeries, and fishmongers.
The subsidy reimbursed 10% of monthly grocery spending, with eligible purchases capped at €220 per month for single-person households and up to €1,000 for larger families with children.
The program was means-tested, with eligibility based on both income and assets. To qualify, single applicants had to earn no more than €16,000 annually, while couples faced a €24,000 income ceiling — rising by €5,000 for each dependent child. On the asset side, net wealth could not exceed €250,000 for singles, widows, or separated individuals, and €400,000 for married couples, civil partners, and single-parent families.
Source: tovima.com
