Labor Minister – 1 in 2 Greeks suffers from EFKA Unified Social Security Fund

The Minister of Labor, Kostis Hatzidakis, spoke, on Thursday, about the problems that people face with the services of EFKA, stating that “EFKA alone has 48% of the complaints of the wider public sector”.

In particular, Mr. Hatzidakis stressed that the changes in EFKA have this goal.

“We are making the changes precisely because EFKA alone has 48% of the complaints of the wider public sector. We have started to do different things, that is, with the pensions we have put various measures on the table that are moving forward. This year we will reach a record of issuing pensions, they will exceed 200,000 pensions for 2021, while the best performance so far was 160,000 last year. “Also, we have put forward in 1555, the single number of citizens’ service”, said Mr. Hatzidakis.

“The 1555 hotline contributes to the improvement of EFKA”

As he stated speaking to MEGA channel, based on official data, 97% of calls are answered. Of this percentage, 84% receive an immediate response, while 14% receive a response within a few days from a support office, as these are more complex cases.

Mr. Hatzidakis stressed that 1555 contributes to the improvement of EFKA, while he clarified that employees who are indifferent to citizens’ complaints go through disciplinary procedures. As he said, he sent 11 cases to the Disciplinary Committee, almost all of them in June. Most of them have not been examined, because the procedures are slow.

“For off-the-hook phones, one reason we implemented 1555 is so everyone doesn’t run around, by dialing that number one can be served. This is not enough for both the service and the pensions, because we are talking about the biggest wound of the Greek State. One of the reasons we bring the bill is because we want to go to a higher level. EFKA can not keep working in this way “.

“Those who retired will receive pensions in the first half of 2022”

“A friend of mine, a retired ambassador, called me and told me that she had an issue with EFKA. There was the decision from last year in October and the decision was made in November this year. I replied that she would get her pension in November because postal service ELTA would probably be to blame as well. She showed me the papers and the decision was registered in November this year, a year later. As a Minister, I can not accept that.”

Mr. Hatzidakis underlined that those who retired will receive it in the first half of 2022. In addition, he said that the goal is to make EFKA more efficient and that the ministry is moving to a unit of internal affairs to investigate complaints, as well as reform the Disciplinary .

Regarding the increase of the minimum wage, he stated the following:

“There will be a cabinet meeting, which within the first half will decide on the basis of a proposal by the Minister. There will be a reflection in the pockets of the workers based on the growth that exists.”