Reports: High court upholds 3rd memorandum-era law cutting social security benefits

A legal against a landmark law passed by the Tsipras coalition government that is mainly aimed to cut social insurance expenditures by the state has reportedly been rejected by a slim majority of Council of State justices.

According to a group representing numerous plaintiffs, mostly pensioners in the country, the split decision (13 to 12) rules that the law, better known as the “Katrougalos law” after the leftist minister under whose watch the legislation was drawn up and passed, is constitutional. The highlight of the legislation was the recalculation of social security benefits, mostly downwards.

According to the same group, the decision – which has not officially been published – creates concerns over the prospect of more cuts in pensions by the Tsipras government on Jan. 1, 2019 – an austerity measure passed in 2016 through by the leftist-rightist coalition government.