No one spared in public sector cuts
The government has decided to leave virtually no category of public servants and pensioners unaffected by spending cuts designed to implement the 11.5-billion-euro package of savings required by the country?s international creditors, sources said on Tuesday.
The Finance Ministry was said to have decided on Tuesday that the groups of public servants on so-called special salaries, such as judges, academics and members of the security forces, will finally not be exempted from the 12 percent cut mulled but temporarily dropped earlier this year. The measure will reportedly apply retroactively from July 1.
Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras, at any rate, made it clear to judges? representatives Tuesday that no employee within the special pay structure will escape the cuts in 2013 and 2014. He also had unpleasant news for the disabled, whose representatives were told that their benefits will have to be cut by 80 euros.
The package will also include cuts in pensions, ranging from 2 percent for those who collect 600 euros monthly and rising up to 20 percent for those who get 2,500 euros a month.
