Greece Restores Widow’s Pension Cuts After a Decade

Greece’s Labor Minister Niki Kerameos announced the abolition of cuts to widow’s pensions, restoring full payments after a decade of reductions implemented under a previous administration. The amendment removes a policy enacted by the Tsipras-Katsoulas law that reduced pensions after three years to 35% of the original amount. Kerameos stated the change addresses a long-standing social injustice and secures legal certainty for thousands of families.

Approximately 8,500 public sector widow’s pensioners who experienced the cuts will see their main pension double by the end of August, receiving the increased amount for life. While the amendment received cross-party support, debate occurred regarding past policy positions. PASOK acknowledged the overdue correction, while KKE criticized both ND and PASOK for prior austerity measures.

The government maintains the delay in addressing the issue stemmed from legal challenges and financial constraints.