The bill and the proposed reform framework are now in the hands of the social partners, with the Ministry of Labor seeking to reach an agreement as quickly as possible. The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Marinos Mousiouttas, set out the government’s timeline and parameters at the start of the debate, making it clear that there is no question of raising the retirement age or contribution rates.
Read more: Pension reform before the Labor Advisory Council in a “positive spirit”
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As the Minister emphasized, the goal is to immediately resolve any questions or disagreements so that the bill can move forward “either unanimously or with the greatest possible consensus” to the next stage, which involves its submission to Parliament, debate in the relevant parliamentary committee, and final passage. “Our goal is for it to take effect on January 1, so that people will feel the difference in their first payments at the end of January,” he emphasized.
Recognizing that the parties involved need time to review the data provided to them, Mr. Mousiouttas noted that a detailed presentation by the actuary and relevant officials from the Ministry will follow. Through this process, as he noted, a substantive dialogue will begin on the specific issues and clarifications of concern to the organizations.
At the same time, the Minister made it clear that all suggestions are welcome, subject to two strict conditions: “first, that the basic philosophy of the plan not be altered, and second, any proposal for additional spending must be accompanied by a proposal for an equivalent reduction.”
In closing, he sent a clear message regarding the Ministry’s “red lines,” noting that “Unless your proposal—which I do not believe to be the case—is to increase contributions or raise the retirement age. We are not discussing either raising the retirement age or increasing contributions.”
