Police, armed forces secure pledge for salary return

Alternate Finance Minister Christos Staikouras on Tuesday promised representatives of the police and armed forces that the government will compensate them within this year for the cuts they have suffered to their salaries since August 2012.

During a meeting between the two sides in the wake of a Council of State decision forcing the revocation of the pay cuts, Staikouras confirmed the government’s intention to restore the two groups’ salaries to their previous levels but asked for some time for a technical study to be completed by the General State Accounting Office. The latter concerns the effects of the decisions on the state budget.

The government’s plan will also have to be approved by the country’s creditors, and Staikouras told the representatives of the police and armed forces that he will invite them for another meeting later this week to inform them of the solutions available for the coverage of their salary losses.