English
Δευτέρα, 21 Οκτωβρίου 2019 21:56

Minister abruptly announced hike in one-third of supplementary pensions, in wake of high court ruling

The relevant labor and social insurance minister on Monday abruptly, and during a morning current affairs radio program, announced that up to 465,000 beneficiaries in Greece receiving supplementary pensions would see an increase, in the wake of a recent Council of State ruling.

The relevant labor and social insurance minister on Monday abruptly, and during a morning current affairs radio program, announced that up to 465,000 beneficiaries in Greece receiving supplementary pensions would see an increase, in the wake of a recent Council of State ruling.

The high court last month threw out several provisions of a controversial 2016 social security reform package, passed by the previous leftist Tsipras government.

Minister Yannis Vroutsis said the ministry's services were recalculating pensions, based on a ruling that held certain cuts in 2016 as unconstitutional - a development that will affect one in three such benefits issued.

On average, he said, monthly supplementary pension rates will increase by 52.5 euros, on average, an annual increase of roughly 30 percent.

The primary beneficiaries of the recalculated rates will be pensioners who saw reductions in 2016, when the so-called "Katrougalos law" limited the sum of primary and supplementary benefits to a maximum of 1,300 euros per month.