Possible new intervention in pensions for personal differences at the end of February, announces Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Kostis Hatzidakis.

It is noted that there was no increase in the issue of personal differences among some pensioners belonging to this category.

In response to an APE-MPE question, Mr. Hatzidakis stated the following:

“It is known that the personal dispute was institutionalized after the agreement between the SYRIZA government and the troika in 2016 with the Katrugalu law. Subsequently, the Vrootsis law largely corrected the injustice of the Katrugalos law in the context of the country’s economic potential and the Stability Program approved by the EU.

Now, when pensions are being thawed, this thawing applies primarily to all pensioners. Retirees who have personal differences either get real raises or simply nibble on their personal differences to better position themselves in the next round of promotions.

Out of a total of approximately 2,600,000 pensioners, 910,000 pensioners, as we have noted for several months, do not suffer in their pockets from the reduction in personal difference, which they of course “nibble”, but benefit either from the 250 euros allowance that was given at the end of December or from the cancellation of the emergency collection of solidarity.

In particular, 260,000 pensioners in this category receive an allowance of 250 euros for Christmas and the same amount for Easter 2022. emergency gathering of solidarity.

It is true that 17% of pensioners with personal differences, or 5.5% of all pensioners, are not affected by this cumulative increase. Last Monday, the Prime Minister was already asked about additional emergency allowances to cover special problems or injustices. He noted that the opportunities to address these challenges are not inexhaustible and that, in any case, a clearer picture of the additional budgetary space available will be available at the end of February. Under this policy option, the government – ​​always within budgetary capacity – will consider additional intervention to address problems or inequities, such as pensioners with personal differences who are not adequately covered by the latest pension increase. After all, the pressure created by the international energy crisis and inflation would absolutely justify such an intervention, if it becomes possible, based on the fiscal margin.

In any case, all this does not change the fact that pensioners are given increases again after 12 years, and after all, every second pensioner, taking into account 4 increases combined, will receive at least one additional pension per year. Does not change the fact that the current government has taken only positive measures for pensioners (increasing pensions with V. Vrucis for pensioners with more than 30 years of service, reducing the deduction for working pensioners from 60% to 30%, abolishing the ceiling of 1300 euros for additional pensions and , of course, a reduction in the minimum tax rate from 22% to 9%), etc. At the same time, he is criticized by those who, during their reign from 2015 to 2019, took only negative measures for pensioners, mainly provisions Law of Katrugal.