Social security: Learning from the past

The social security system - a pillar of democratic societies and one of the fundamental rights of their citizens - functions within specific conditions and boundaries.

Even if the chronic ailments that define the Greek system are mitigated or even wiped out entirely, there remain other key components of the equation, most notably the fact that life expectancy continues to grow, and the ratio of working men and women whose contributions are essential to funding pensions and medical care for the elderly of the future is shrinking.

The above reality has no ideological underpinnings and cannot be ignored by anyone - right, center or left.

Just a few days ago, Deputy Labor Minister Panos Tsakloglou pointed out the obvious by saying that retirement ages will not go up in the next three years, but that this is something that will inevitably happen down the road.

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