Retroactive pensions ruling puts ball in government’s court

The Council of State, Greece’s top administrative court, ruled on Tuesday that citizens who sustained pension cuts between June 2015 and May 2016, and who have lodged legal appeals, are entitled to retroactive claims. The court stopped short, however, of vindicating numerous others that had made claims for later years, effectively putting the ball in the court of the government regarding other claimants.

The ruling was based on a decision by the court last year deeming the so-called Katrougalos law’s recalculation of pensions as unconstitutional.

As the government is unlikely to want to provoke mass appeals by pensioners, it is considered likely that it will extend retroactive pensions to all, but in installments over a period of three to six years, Kathimerini understands.

The court also accepted that pensioners who appealed to court by June 2015 are also entitled to retroactive payments.