Greek supplementary pensions to be cut, and an end to EKAS allowance too!

Reforms to social security funds are sowing the seeds of panic to beneficiaries. The Labor Ministry has yet to provide its conclusions regarding the future for Greek pensioners, but there are a number of issues up in the air. These include:

– Pension rates, the new index to be created and the size of the slashes that are unavoidable

– The way in which the supplementary funds will be incorporated into main pensions and the size of the reductions

– The way in which lump-sum retirement packages will be affected by the new rules, following statements by Labor Minister George Katroungalos that state that all retirement moneys will be joined into a single fund

– The future of Pensioners Social Solidarity Benefit (EKAS) now that the basic 390-euro/month pension rate will be solidified

– The future of widows allowances now that sources from the minsitry state that there will only be 6-7 types of benefits

– The Greek Wise Men’s Committee made recommendations that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has objected to, but it remains to be seen if the proposals will be scrapped