Greece’s Court of Auditors (Ελεγκτικό Συνέδριο) ruled as “unconsitutional” the upcoming cuts in pensons, the scraping of Christmas, Eastern and Vacation bonuses, the decreases to jobless allowances for seasonal workers, the raising of age criteria for the social benefit of EKAS and thus for all those with low income.
The 30 judges ruled that such cuts are contrary to Articles 2, 4, 22 and 25 of the Constitution as they conflict with the Contitutional obligation to respect and protect human dignity, the principles of equality, proportionality and the protection of labour.
Court of Auditors decisions are not obligatory for the Greek government and state, but such a ruling would open the legal way to anyone who wants to file a complaint for such cuts.
Above mentioned cuts are part of the austerity measures package of 13.5 billion euro that will be voted at the Greek Parliament next week. The ruling puts fire on the grounds of the austerity package, as these cuts would make almost haf of the austerity measures.
Τhe Court of Auditors met such a decision for the first time since the country sought international aid in May 2010 and several Loan Agreements that has sent to impoverishment millions of households.
Almost every change you want to make here is “Violating Greek Constitution”. So, what’s new? Nothing ever changes http://youtu.be/kJVBdC0c5L0
Surely Greek trade Unions will be falling over themselves to lodge complaints in every court going?
Clean nappies all around in Brussels and Berlin…
It will be very interesting to see who wins this, “Overseers from EU” or “judges from Greece”. Ultimately, if EU decides “NO money, if no do what we say”, then what happens. I wonder if maybe some magic happens and Judges say, “never mind”….
ultimately nobody gives a dam about human dignity and constitutional rights and thus since last year when the tax-free income amount went down from 12K to 5K even though poverty starts at 6K yearly according to EU. So if the poor are taxed, there is absolute no shame by either EU (several bodies incl EP), by judges, politicians, overseers and lackeys and miracles happen in a parallel universe but not here.
that’s MveryHO
The flexibility of “dignity” and “constitutional rights” is astonishing. As is the flexibility of “official decisions” and “judgements”. Somehow, all of the above seem to end up serving those they are not aiming to protect…
I’d be very curious to know what happened in Depression USA 1930 and Weimar early 1920s, and if there were rich people not paying taxes and poor getting raked over coals during those years. At least we’d have some historical reference to compare it to. Any historians out there to advise?
check the links
Greece is broke. Where are you going to get the money for all of this spending? The idea that there is a right to a vacation is a joke. You can scream and shout all you want but at the end of the day you are asking some else to pay for your lifestyle. Asking someone else to pay for you makes you a beggar.
Always knew banks were beggars…
What country are you from Walter? Have you ever been to Greece? Or are you just regurgitating the soundbytes from BBC and elsewhere?