The prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis He met today at the Maximus Palace with disability community representatives, with whom he discussed the course of the “Accessibility at Home” program, through which the state for the first time subsidizes projects, such as the construction of a ramp or the placement of a lubricant, which ensures their uninterrupted access.
Government sources say that during the meeting, the Prime Minister noted that the program budget will be reinforced with national resources of 10m eurosreaching 34 million to serve more citizens, given that just the first 24 hours after the relevant platform was operational (https://prosvasimotita.minscfa.gov.gr/), about 2,500 applications were submitted last week, which corresponds to almost 2,500 applications.
During the presentation of the program, made by the Minister of Social Cohesion and Family Domna Michaelidou, it was noted that the projects that could be funded were selected after a dialogue with disability organizations so that the projects that could be funded, so that the projects that could be funded were selected after a dialogue with disability community organizations so that have the greatest possible effect on the daily life of people with disabilities and people with chronic diseases. In this context, “home accessibility” covers work on main and country houses, both privately owned and rented, public spaces of apartment buildings and workplaces.
“Our home is our refuge. Especially for our fellow citizens who have a disability, the ability to be able to move comfortably inside their home, without feeling that they are making discounts or concessions from what they would expect is extremely important. And I am glad we are able to come as a state by utilizing European and national resources to meet this important need, “the prime minister said, according to government sources.
“The first reason for the beneficiaries immediately to help us to specialize the design of the program, because only you can know the particularity of each case,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis added.
Eligible accessibility interventions are both due to kinetic disability, such as the construction or modification of ramps, the placement of a lift or a special lift, the reconstruction of a wheelchair use and the adaptation of indoor spaces, as well as the interventions of sensory disability (eg vision) Hearing or sensory guidance systems and digital auxiliaries (speaking devices, screens with special features). For motor disability interventions, the amount of the subsidy is up to 12,000 euros and for sensory disability interventions to up to 5,000 euros. In the event of a combination of interventions, the amount of the subsidy is increased to up to € 14,500. 50% of the grant is advanced with the approval of the application. The repayment is made after a certificate of completion of the projects. Beneficiaries of the program are people with a disability rate of 67% or more and individual income of up to 60,000 euros.
Representatives of disability organizations welcomed the program, stressing that they are satisfying a chronic request.
“It’s a program we’ve been asking for for years, and as an ESMA, a wheelchair, and our clubs and all in our conversations. It is very important because our disability is determined by accessibility, “said Korina Theodorakakis, secretary of the National Federation of Kinetic Disabled (EOKA). “It is an innovative action and we have to say it, it has never happened,” he added.
“The cooperation with the National Confederation was excellent and productive, after all, with applications in such a short time it is self -evident that its success is important,” Vasilis Koutsianos, Secretary General of the National Confederation of People with Disabilities (ESA) said. “The National Confederation, and with its bodies, has been claiming this program since 2015, Mr President. Therefore, it is very important that it is implemented, albeit with delay, and we have to be fair, to credit it to you, because it is your own effort, “he continued.
The ease of using the platform was highlighted by Christos Koromilas from the Board of Directors. of the “Blind Lighthouse”: “It’s the only program I managed to execute on my own from my phone. It was so easy, three steps, all pre -paid and all ready. “
His satisfaction with the program was also expressed by the Vice President of the Union of Rare Patients of Greece, Dimitris Athanasiou. “We didn’t believe it when we were informed,” he said characteristically and stressed the importance of prevention. “Disability for us is a path: prevention, early diagnosis and dealing with these measures. We believe that measures will come in the field of prevention, “he said.
The “home accessibility” program is part of a wide network of actions for equal access to people with disabilities in the labor market and society. During the meeting, inter alia, special reference was made to the initiative for subsidized replacement of conventional wheelchairs. It was also emphasized that interventions in public schools, under the Marietta Giannakou program, necessarily include the installation of access infrastructure.