For EAS, increases in pensions, temporary pension benefits by personal difference and measures to address the consequences of demographic ageing of the population, the State Secretary for Labour and Social Security, spoke, invited to a broadcast of the ertnews. On the level of the increase in pensions Mr. Tsakloglou said that each year it is calculated as foreseen by the law as the summation of the annual inflation rate and GDP growth rate. This year, the budget figures show that the new increase in pensions will be 2.4%. This increase will be seen in the January pensions which will be paid shortly before Christmas. Exceptional allowance The Deputy Minister noted that, “all pensioners will see an increase of 2.4% in their pensions except for those who have a personal difference for whom the Government has arranged to grant an exceptional allowance inversely proportional to the amount of their pension ranging from 100 to 200 euros and will also be paid shortly before Christmas.” “In 2019 when the current government took over, the outstanding outstanding main pensions, i.e. those that were pending for over three months, were hundreds of thousands, a figure currently limited to 19,500 while these include cases in court pending and a dossier that is not complete. A significant reduction is also recorded in the reserve of outstanding supplementary pensions, which have been limited to 32,500. The two major projects under way in the e-EFKA, i.e. the construction of a new Integrated Information System and the digitisation of the insurance history of all insured persons are expected to finally solve the problem of “retirement outstanding”. So far, over 17 billion euros have been accumulated in ACAGA, which will be used in the future, when the effects of demographic ageing of the population are reached, so that pensions can be paid seamlessly. However, the design of the EAS was problematic as if a pensioner passed the threshold of a step even by one euro the highest rate was imposed throughout his pension. As a result, after the annual increase in pension there were pensioners who, due to EAS, saw a decrease instead of an increase in their pension. With legislation we brought with the Minister of Labour Niki Kerameos, we ensured that the EAS steps will be adjusted with the same percentage with which pensions are adjusted annually, so that pensioners will normally receive the increase in their pension.” said Mr. Reply to posts for larger EAS in 2025 Deputy Labour Minister Panos Tsakloglou has categorically denied reports that have been reproduced in recent days that pensioners will be asked to pay a greater amount for the Pension Solidarity Contribution (EAS) than in previous years, according to the State Budget’s Draft Report for 2025. As explained, the EAC measure has been in force since 2010. ‘At the time of the crisis some former funds did not repay the amounts owed to the ACAGE, although these amounts had been withheld from the pensioners. The difference, about EUR 1 billion, will be paid and, in fact, on interest, by the e-EFKA who is the successor of these funds to the ACAGE in four instalments. The increased amount recorded in the 2025 budget is due to this difference and, of course, will not be paid by pensioners.” In fact, the State Secretary said, compared to the old system, the new system lightens pensioners by 32m euros, favorably affecting about a quarter of the pensioners paying EAS. For the demographic “At a recent conference attended by the State Secretary for Labour and Social Security discussed how to deal with the consequences of demographic ageing as Greece, like other European countries, faces a serious demographic problem with negative effects on development prospects, the labour market, social protection and public finances. In this context, the full exploitation of the potential of the population, young and older and intergenerational cooperation and solidarity, is of the utmost importance. “
Tsakloglou: Lower and fairer EAS after recent changes
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