The right and only logical path
The planned merger of social security funds is the obvious path that the government should have taken a long time ago. When the system is under a heavy financial strain, it is quite logical to cut the cost of red tape. Greece is too small a country to have more than 150 pension funds which sustain more than 150 boards and over 150 central administration units. However, any bid to integrate the numerous funds must be thoroughly studied and fair. Under no circumstances should it be used to compensate for inadequate state funding. That would undermine any effort to overhaul the Social Security System and the advocates of stagnation would find good reason to maintain the status quo. The government is on the right track. It must continue with the same persistence and prudence. The PASOK opposition should not block the reform. After all, the government is enforcing PASOK’s own law. For their part, the unions had agreed on that reform. Merging the funds is the only way to make sure that the funds’ money goes to the pensioners rather than party-appointed board members.
