The empty security funds and the statement that there are financial means missing in order to pay off pensions in November and December, woke up politicians for fiery discussions three days before the elections. New Democracy defended the reforms they did throughout last year and the left oppositional partied found an excuse to attack the government and to present their proposals for new reform of the security funds.
Labor minister Fani Petralya visited the offices of the biggest social security fund in Greece – IKA and said that the decision of the government one year ago to make the reforms, solved the chronic problems of the social security system in Greece. Minister Petralya mentioned all the reforms, among which the unification of insurance funds from 133 to 13, which lowered the expenses with 12.5% or €32.5 million.
Other achievement through reforms are uniting the accounting offices, which are connected with each other online, lowering the waiting time for receiving all kinds of allowances, the introduction of the AMKA number (registration number for social security, which now more than 9 million people have).
The Labor minister also said that there won’t be a problem with paying off pensions and that “the state guarantees pensions and allowances,” even though two years ago the social security organization announced that it does not have any money and it owes to the state and IKA €13 billion. This was announced based on a report by the Syndicate Federation of workers in Greece. The management of both social security funds asked in an official letter for the deposit of €532 million for the payment of pensions for the last two month of this year. Mrs. Petralya explained that people should not worry because this is a warning letter and it is “internal post,” which is routine practice.
Meanwhile PM Kostas Karamanlis blames PASOK leader Georgios Papandreou that he is speaking very generally and is not proposing any specific solutions. Quite the opposite – his plans for the economic policy will lead to tax increases for the small and average businesses and will hit the poorest citizens. “Instead of giving answers, he always provokes more questions. The more questions come along, the more he tries to avoid a dialogue,” said the Prime Minister regarding Georgios Papandreou’s pre-election promises.
PASOK leader Papandreou said that “only one government with strong majority in the parliament can guarantee the change that Greece needs.” Mr. Papandreou presented PASOK’s advantages, which will not cost even one Euro to the tax payers. But even for those changes, he did not say how they will be done: “it does not cost us anything to bring dignity to young people, who work as interns; it does not cost us anything to get rid of the hundredths party committees, for which the state pays; it does not cost us anything to guarantee independence of the legal system.”
Meanwhile Mr. Papandreou said that during the first 100 days of his government, 5 new bills will be passed about economy. From today everyone can read online PASOK’s plan for the first 100 days in power, if the party wins the elections and creates a government. The plan consists of four topics – increasing incomes, increasing state investments for bringing the market to life, support of economic activities, protection and increase of employment and lowering state expenses.
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