ATHENS – The deadline for the payment of vehicle circulation taxes has been extended to the end of February, Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said on Monday, speaking to the public broadcaster ERT.

At the same time, referring to the new food subsidy measure, he said that the provision will be tabled on Tuesday in parliament and will be put to a vote on Wednesday. The applications platform, which will be like the Fuel Pass, will open in mid February and the first payments will be handed out in the same month. Those who choose to have the amount deposited into a bank account will receive 80 pct of the subsidy they are entitled to in two quarterly installments.

The digital card will cover purchases from retail food markets, supermarkets, pastry shops, bakeries, food shops and others, as well as farmers’ markets if the stalls have a POS.

The minister clarified that the card “is not only for food but for all products sold in such places”. He also added that the amount will be credited every month, depending on the number of the family’s members, and is not lost if it is not used but carried over to the following months.