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Almost one million Greeks are entitled to receive a social benefit to the amount of 500 euro, which the government has granted after achieving a budget surplus in 2013 according to the estimates of the Ministry of Finance. By Wednesday, the office had received 345,000 applications, 85,000 of which were approved, 130,000 are to be considered and 130,000 were rejected.

The employees at the financial institutions were astonished to detect among the applicants striking cases of Greeks with high incomes, real estate worth over 300,000 euro, pools and yachts. According to the Greek media, their desire to receive the benefit that is intended for those citizens who are most affected by the economic crisis has played a trick on them because their applications have attracted the attention of the tax authorities.

In particular, applications for the single social benefit were submitted by:

- 500 people owning real estate worth over 500,000 euro

- 900 people with annual incomes exceeding 50,000 euro

- 140 people with annual incomes exceeding 100,000 euro.

The most striking cases:

- A couple from Evia owning property worth 2.3 million euro. In 2013, they had declared a family income to the amount of 102,000 euro and they live in a house of area 230 square metres.

- A family of four from the Faliro district in Athens with an annual income of 90,000 euro and real estate worth over 2.7 million euro applied to receive a benefit to the amount of 833 euro.

- A couple from Iraklio neighbourhood in Athens that had declared in 2013 an income of 335,000 euro, 200,000 euro of which was compensation received by the husband. They had an interest income to the amount of 15,000 euro and their property is worth 310,000 euro. They applied for a social benefit to the amount of 666 euro.

Owners of swimming pools and yachts also tried to pass unnoticed in the avalanche of electronic applications and receive a social benefit, as follows:

- A family of four from the Athens suburb of Kifissia that had declared in 2013 an income of 6,000 euro. The same people, however, own a house with an area of ​​212 square metres and villa with an area of 250 square metres worth 600,000 euro. In addition, the family's house has a swimming pool with an area of ​​60 square metres.

- A couple with one child from the seaside suburb of Alimos that had declared an income of 23,000 euro in 2013 also applied for a benefit. However, the inspection carried out by the tax authorities shows that they own a 10-metre-long yacht worth 230,000 euro.

At the same time, the Ministry of Finance is preparing to increase the threshold of the annual income of those who are entitled to a social benefit from 6,000 euro to 6,500 euro. According to sources, the higher the income, the lower the amount of the benefit. It is expected that the amendment will be made ​​in the coming days and will cost the budget about 30 million euro. In addition, after the deadline for applications on 30 June and, if a remainder of the total estimated sum of 525 million euro was reported, the Ministry of Finance would seek those households that really need to be supported on the basis of their income in 2013.