Greece’s parliament is set to vote on a bill this week, raising the protected balance in personal bank accounts to €1,600, as the government seeks to ease pressure on indebted households facing widespread enforcement measures.
The proposal, announced by National Economy and Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis, would increase the non-seizable threshold from €1,250, shielding a larger portion of basic savings from state collection actions.
Mr. Pierrakakis said the adjustment reflects rising living costs and aims to protect minimum financial security.
According to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, enforcement measures are already in place against about 1.7 million taxpayers, with a further 600,000 at risk. Total overdue tax debt has reached €114.5 billion, affecting roughly 4.8 million individuals and businesses.
The legislation also introduces provisions allowing debtors to lift account freezes by paying 25% of their principal debt and enrolling the remainder in an installment plan. In addition, the eligibility threshold for the out-of-court settlement mechanism will be reduced from €10,000 to €5,000, expanding access for lower-income borrowers.
At the same time, authorities are stepping up action against major defaulters.
Finance ministry officials said a group of just over 10,000 large debtors accounts for more than €86 billion in unpaid taxes, with enhanced monitoring and recovery tools targeting high-value cases.
The measures form part of a broader effort to balance social relief with stricter enforcement as Greece continues to address its elevated debt burden.
By Giorgos Pappous