Parliament approves bill abolishing double pensions for MPs

Parliament on Wednesday voted with an overwhelming majority in favor of an amendment that prevents ministers, deputies and mayors from claiming two pensions, though there was protest from members of the House.

The amendment abolishes a provision passed in 2010 allowing cabinet members, MPs and elected local authority officials to either keep paying into their professional pension or have the money that they have paid into that fund count toward their second pension.

PASOK MP Constantinos Triantafyllos called the amendment “punitive and unfair,” saying it discriminates between elected officials whose primary pensions come from sectors such as commerce and freelance professions and those who worked as doctors, lawyers, engineers etc, who enjoy more benefits.