Detrimental conduct
Whether or not pensions will be cut in January, in line with an agreement between Greece and its international creditors, is not something that will be decided now but over the coming months.
The careless hastiness that has been displayed by government officials who seem desperate to declare that the planned reductions will be revoked is damaging the country’s credibility on the international stage.
It is also harmful to ongoing negotiations between Greek officials and foreign auditors, who were in Athens this week for the first assessment since Greece officially exited its international bailouts last month.
It goes without saying that it would be a very good thing and a very welcome development for any further cuts to pensions to be averted.
However, the way that the government is handling this very sensitive issue, by effectively trying to trap representatives of the country’s creditors in a domestic political game, is a mistake and could prove to be damaging on many levels.
