The case concerning the Solidarity Contribution for Pensioners is at the centre of the legal agenda, with a hearing before the plenary session of the Court of Audit scheduled for today. The outcome could affect around 450,000 pensioners.
Meanwhile, the campaign to reinstate the 13th and 14th salaries in the public sector is back in focus, as a case has been referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
More specifically, the legal challenge to the Solidarity Contribution for Pensioners (EAS) comes before the plenary session of the Court of Audit today, in a case with wider implications for the income of hundreds of thousands of pensioners.
The hearing concerns how the deduction is calculated, and in particular whether it should be applied in bands, rather than calculated from the first euro of a pension. According to estimates, the case affects around 450,000 pensioners.
The case was referred to the plenary session by the Fourth Department because of the issue’s particular importance, as part of a pilot case. It has already been postponed several times: it was initially scheduled for June 2026 and was then moved to 7 October at the request of the state.
The new date followed a request from the claimant, former president of the Court of Audit Nikos Angelaras, who asked to appear in person. The court’s majority rejected the request, saying he had to be represented by a lawyer. A subsequent request for an adjournment was granted.
The substance of the claim concerns the method used to calculate the EAS and the losses that, according to the claimant, result from its application. The lawsuit seeks repayment of sums, while also seeking to interrupt the limitation period and preserve the related claims.
Lawyer Dimitris Bourlos underlined the importance of the case, telling Euro2day.gr that “the hearing on the solidarity contribution before the plenary session of the Court of Audit is particularly important, since the claim — if accepted — would significantly reduce the burden on pensioners who receive a primary pension or combined primary pensions worth more than €1,470 a month.
Calculating the solidarity contribution in bands, rather than from the first euro of pension, would reduce this onerous deduction, which amounts to a particularly substantial sum for those on the highest pensions.
We hope the Court will issue its ruling soon, given the particularly high calibre of the judges and the fact that the legal issue to be decided has no multiple facets that would justify delaying a final ruling.”
The 13th and 14th salaries
The legal activity surrounding pension deductions is part of a wider wave of claims in the public sector, this time seeking the reinstatement of the 13th and 14th salaries.
The case has moved to the European level following ruling 138/2026 by the Kilkis Court of First Instance, sitting as a single-judge court. The ruling referred a preliminary question to the Court of Justice of the European Union in a group action brought by employees at Kilkis Hospital.
The employees are seeking the restoration of these specific pay benefits for the period 2023-2025.
The question concerns the compatibility of Greek legislation with Directive 2022/2041 and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, given that 14 annual salary payments are retained in the private sector, while public-sector employees receive 12.
The referral does not prejudge the outcome of the case. However, the issue had appeared to have been definitively settled following the Council of State’s ruling. The interpretation given by the European court could influence developments, but according to respected legal experts, the prospects are limited.