Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-03-08
CONTENTS
[01] Gov't to create commission to study pensions
[01] Gov't to create commission to study pensions
Economy and Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis and Labour Minister
Savvas Tsitouridis on Wednesday announced the formation of a special
commission to study the country's ailing pension system.
The two ministers, speaking to reporters afterwards, said the
government wants the commission chaired by an individual accepted by
all political parties, while they stressed that political parties and
unions would have their own representatives on the commission.
Alogoskoufis said the pension system was a long-term problem concerning
all Greek citizens and stressed that a dialogue on the issue was aimed
to create the widest possible political and social consensus, a
procedure likely to take more time than the current government's term.
The Greek minister stressed a long-term dialogue would begin to define
all parameters in the system and the nature of the problem. "This way a
solid background will be formed to support the reaching of consensus,"
he noted.
The commission will draft a report on the pension system. Alogoskoufis
reiterated that spending on pensions would reach 22.5 pct of GDP in
2050 from 12.5 pct currently, while budget spending would jump to 15
pct of GDP from 5.0 pct, respectively. The Greek minister stressed that
pension funds' deficits totaled 400 billion euros.
Caption: Alogoskoufis, left, and Tsitouridis confer in Parliament on
Wednesday, March 8, 2006. ANA / M. Marogianni.
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