Changes to legislation mean the Greek government could be supporting paedophiles.
Activists are livid with a decision made by the Greek government to widen the list of state-recognised disability categories to include paedophiles, exhibitionists, peeping toms and even kleptomaniacs.
According to reports, disability activists are insisting that those already on disability grants for more conventional reasons will lose out. Here are some of the facts:
- The Labor Ministry said the categories added to the expanded list that also includes pyromaniacs, compulsive gamblers, fetishists and sadomasochists were included for purposes of medical assessment and used as a gauge for allocating financial assistance
- The new list gives pyromaniacs and paedophiles disability pay up to 35 percent, compared to 80 percent for heart transplant recipients
- Peeping Toms could obtain a 20%-30% disability rate, compared with the 10% granted to diabetics, who have insulin shots four or five times a day
- Independently run welfare programmes that survived on state grants have been the hardest hit, leaving some disabled groups, including the deaf, facing sudden drops in their standard of care
- Greeks as well as other EU citizens working and resident in Greece are entitled to benefits.
But NCDP leader Yiannis Vardakastanis, who is blind, warned the new list could create new difficulties for disabled Greeks who are already facing benefit cuts due to the country's financial crisis.
"What's happened is incomprehensible. I think there is some big mistake. The ministry should have a different policy on disability," Vardakastanis said.
Do you think paedophiles should be classified as “disabled”?
By: Scott Dunlop