The research conducted by KEPE and revealed by To Vima illustrates the extent of the disease in a system that we covered up for years. Since the era of the infamous Giannitsis reform, which was abolished under union and populist pressure, we were aware that at some point this bomb would explode in our hands. Unfortunately by using the political cost as an excuse, political and union leaders decided to sweep the problem under the rug and let the next generations deal with it.
The crisis simply expedited the developments, since all attempts to reform essentially turned into half-measures that could not constitute a sustainable solution to the survival of the funds. It is indicative in the study that the changes and the solutions provided were superficial, rushed, ineffective and fiscally harmful, since instead of merging the Funds, we had a merger of the “front desk” rather than services. At the same time the state of overregulation and difference in services and benefits within the same Fund was maintained. This resulted in 50-year-olds retiring even today, in a demographically and fiscally exhausted country.
It should be a given that in a country where pensioners are slightly less than employees, an insurance system with all the specifications and entanglements of the past cannot survive. That is how we came to today’s situation where pensioners, those looking forward to retiring and the younger generations are paying the cost, without a clue of what awaits them.
In order to avoid finding ourselves before a dead end there can only be one solution; a national, political and social coordination. Without populism and political blindfolds, but rather with talks and a sense of responsibility, the political leaders and the government foremost, along with the employee representatives, must seek out the best possible solutions for today’s situation and strive for a sustainable and efficient reform. This entails and fair distribution of sacrifices and respecting the rights of pensioners and the younger generations that will be forced to pay the greatest cost. Because one thing is certain, with patches and half-measures the situation will soon be out of control…
TO VIMA
