With a mandate to cut spending by about €8 billion between 2012 and 2015 (which is one of several conditions Greece must meet to continue receiving bailout funds from the European Union and IMF) the Greek Labour Ministry is taking a closer look at the number of centenarians living in the country and investigating pension fraud.
Reuters has reported that thousands of Greeks have been receiving pensions despite being dead for many years. Data crosschecks had revealed that about 4,500 deceased civil servants continued getting their pension cheques, costing taxpayers more than €16 million each year.
Cracking down on fraud and better means testing could help Greece to meet much of this target without cutting benefits. “Fiscal consolidation without social cost is feasible, provided there is will, persistence and efficiency,” Louka Katseli, Greece’s Minister for Labour and Social Security, told the media.
The government is now setting its sights on the 9,000 centenarians still drawing pensions in the country. “We are currently checking how many of them are alive,” she added.