PASOK tabled an amendment late yesterday to abolish age restrictions for beneficiaries of the annual financial support for vulnerable social groups. It was prompted by today’s debate in Parliament’s plenary session on the economic bill entitled “Boosting disposable income, savings and investment, tax, wage and pension provisions, and other social policy provisions”.
The full text of the amendment:
“Explanatory Memorandum
PASOK – Movement for Change has put forward a comprehensive set of proposals on the social security system, the welfare state and the need to support pensioners. The proposals were presented by its president, Nikos Androulakis, in July 2026 in a speech at the event “Together with pensioners, TOGETHER at the forefront”.
Among the measures presented was the gradual reinstatement of the 13th pension, to be paid in two annual instalments, starting in January 2027, with the aim of completing its full reinstatement in the third year of the measure’s implementation.
The president reiterated this proposal when presenting PASOK – Movement for Change’s programme in a speech at the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair.
The government initially categorically rejected the payment of a 13th pension. Kyriakos Pierrakakis even went so far as to say that, even if the money were available, it would not be channelled into pensions.
Now, under pressure from public opinion and current economic developments, the government has been forced to present, as an inadequate substitute for the 13th pension, an increase in the annual financial support payment to pensioners from €300 to €400, which will now be paid without income criteria.
However, a plainly unacceptable age-based exclusion criterion remains in place, dividing pensioners and disadvantaging certain groups: those who have not reached the age of 65, or those who have not reached the age of 60 and do not receive a main old-age pension but do receive a survivor’s pension.
With the amendment we are tabling, we are abolishing this age-based exclusion criterion so that the financial support can be granted to all eligible recipients without discrimination. This intervention in no way detracts from our core proposal for the phased payment of a 13th pension, or from our coherent and well-founded proposals on the social security system and pensions.
Amendment
To the bill of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance entitled “Boosting disposable income, savings and investment, tax, wage and pension provisions, and other social policy provisions”
Subject: Abolition of age restrictions for beneficiaries of annual financial support for vulnerable social groups – Amendment of Article 72 of Law 5217/2025 – Deletion of a subparagraph from Article 20 of the bill under discussion”
The wording “provided that they have reached the age of 65 by 31 December of the year preceding the reference year, or have reached the age of 60 by 31 December of the year preceding the reference year, do not receive a main old-age pension and receive a survivor’s pension” is removed from paragraph 1 of Article 20 of the bill under discussion.