Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001890/2024/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 144
Elena Kountoura (The Left), Konstantinos Arvanitis (The Left), Nikos Pappas (The Left), Nikolas Farantouris (The Left)
Greece faces a steadily worsening housing crisis that is affecting all its citizens, especially workers in critical parts of the public service sector such as teachers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, police officers and members of the armed services. The problem is acute in tourist areas and on the islands, where the cost of living is disproportionately high, there is a serious shortage of available housing and rents have skyrocketed with the rapid rise in short-term rentals.
What is more, civil servants’ salaries are still low and are not sufficient to cover the increased cost of housing[1]. This state of affairs has direct consequences for the functioning of critical public services, as workers are discouraged from serving in remote and island areas[2], creating gaps in sectors such as education, health and security.
As the Commission has announced the first-ever European Affordable Housing Plan[3], can it answer the following questions:
- 1.What European financial instruments can the Member States use to assist public servants such as teachers, doctors, nurses, firefighters and police officers facing difficulties in finding affordable housing – especially in tourist and remote areas of Greece?
- 2.Does it intend to support the Member States, such as Greece, with targeted programmes or financial resources to address the housing crisis that is affecting public servants in key sectors such as education, health and public security owing to the rise in housing prices and short-term rentals?
Submitted: 1.10.2024
- [1] Particularly the approximately 60 000 newly appointed and auxiliary teachers and other public servants on lower pay scales. For more information: https://www.in.gr/2024/08/29/politics/epikairotita/stegastiki-krisi-matonoun-gia-ena-keramidi-oi-ekpaideytikoi-potiri-ksexeilizei-politeia-kofeyei/.
- [2] Statement by ADEDY [Supreme Administration of Greek Civil Servants’ Trade Unions] and DOE [Greek Primary Teachers’ Federation] on housing for teachers and public servants: https://adedy.gr/dt-paremvasi-adedy-k-doe-gia-ti-stegasi-ekpaideutikwn-k-dhmosiwn-leitourgwn-13092024/.
- [3] As part of the Political Guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029 set by President Ursula von der Leyen: https://commission.europa.eu/document/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683-f63ffb2cf648_en.