Giorgos Katrougalos

Almost a million Greeks risk facing unwanted surprises in the form of either a fresh cut to their pension or the imposition of additional social security contributions due to some unclear points in the law brought in by former labor minister Giorgos Katrougalos. The 2016 law concerns those who are involved in agricultural activities or declare an income from agriculture.

Changes to Greek pension legislation, and in particular the reforms introduced by former labor and social security minister Giorgos Katrougalos, have led to a significant drop in the number of citizens applying for early retirement, with civil servants, and teachers in particular, among those increasingly reluctant to leave the work force, Kathimerini has learned.

The secretary-general of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Dr Fang Liu, commended the high level of security and services in the Greek aviation sector during a visit to Greece on Monday.

Liu met with Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos and the head of the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (YPA), Konstantinos Lintzerakos.

The statements made by Greek Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Katrougalos that Greece would accept political rallies of Turkish officials on its soil, effectively pulling the rug under the feet of Dutch PM Mark Rutte over the row between Turkey and the Netherlands, presented the perfect opportunity for exploitation by the Turkish media.

The government is retreating on the social security contributions payable by freelance workers who issue invoices for series rendered, as the clauses of the law introduced by former labor and social security minister Giorgos Katrougalos and the circulars published have complicate the situation to such an extent that thousands of workers still don't know how much they are supposed to pay.

Greece's Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Katrougalos has told deputies from the country's Eastern Aegean Region that the European Commission will not approve of visa validation at island ports, Greek media reported on Feb. 8.

Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos, who is responsible for European affairs, was expected to meet with European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici on Wednesday in Brussels.

Talks were expected to focus on obstacles surrounding the second review of Greece's third bailout and geopolitical issues.

The legislative clause introduced by former labor minister Giorgos Katrougalos concerning the social security of freelance workers who provide services to one or two employers is turning into a major headache for the ministry, which realizes it is impossible to implement.

Last year's announcement by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras about reduced social security contributions by young scientists for their first five years at work is proving a trap: After the expiry of the five years they will have to pay retroactively and with interest all the contributions they did not pay in the first five-year period of their career, according to a circular issued on Tuesday by t

The pensions of some 70,000 Greeks who can retire within 2017 will be reduced by up to 20 percent.