Hatzidakis – Τhe solution for expat pensions coming soon

The arrangements for the satisfaction of the just request of the expatriates from Northern Epirus in relation to their pension conditions, based on the recent announcements made by the Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, were discussed at the meeting held today by the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Kostis Hatzidakis with the representatives of the expatriates.

The meeting on behalf of the ministry was attended by the responsible Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Panos Tsakoglou and the Secretary General of Social Insurance, Pavlina Karasiotou.

As Mr. Hatzidakis stressed in his statements: “For years there has been an injustice for the national pensions to the detriment of the Greeks of Northern Epirus, but also of the Greeks who have come from the former Soviet Union. According to the commitment of the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the issue will be addressed immediately by the government. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has already prepared relevant proposals. They will be discussed immediately with the Ministry of Finance and of course with the office of the Prime Minister and very soon the issue will be settled “.

The president of the political party Omonia, Vassilis Kagios, stated: “We were informed by and discussed with the Minister Mr. Hatzidakis on the issues of pensions and allowances for the elderly of Northern Epirus and he confirmed that they will be resolved. Especially after the commitments of the Prime Minister, we believe that this problem will end. It has been plaguing the elderly people of Northern Epirus for so many years”.

The vice-president of Omonia, Giorgos Tzomakas, stated: “We thank the leadership of the Ministry of Labor, Mr. Hatzidakis, for the reception and for the immediate resolution of the issue. As Mr. Hatzidakis stressed, this injustice will be resolved immediately by legislation and in the best way. We thank him once again because we have been fighting for three years to resolve this injustice. ”

The representatives of the Greek community demanded that the injustice that arose with the implementation of the “Katrougalos law” concerning insurance be addressed, a law which sets as a condition for the granting of the full national pension to the expatriates living in Greece for 40 years. This, as they underlined, is impossible for those coming from the Northern Epirus since the borders were opened in 1990.

In a similar way, as mentioned at the meeting, the issue of granting the allowance to the uninsured elderly will be addressed.

From the side of the Greek community, the meeting was attended by Messrs. Vassilis Kagios, president of Omonia, Giorgos Tzomakas, vice president of Omonia, Vangelis Doules, president of the Human Rights Union, Leonardos Tabakos, president of the retired people of Northern Epirus and Alexandros Pantos, member of the general council of Omonia.