Increase from 12 to 24 of the installments of the fixed arrangement for debts to EFKA and cancellation of debts to the insurance institution in 10 years instead of 20 years currently in force. These interventions were announced by the Minister of Labour.

Kostis Hatzidakis also said that the abolition of the 1% deduction currently imposed on the salaries of civil servants in favour of the Welfare Fund is being considered jointly with the finance ministry. These arrangements will be included in the insurance bill that will be submitted to Parliament in the fall, Kostis Hatzidakis said.

Arrangements - Breathing space for 150.000 insured persons

The provision that will increase to 24 the installments for the fixed settlement of debts will offer breathing space to more than 150,000 insured in EFKA with debts to the Insurance Debt Collection Center (KEAO). Debts created in recent years and mainly within the coronavirus pandemic.

Specifically, experts estimate that the approximately 95,000 debtors, who according to KEAO data in the first quarter of 2022 were included in the 12 installments, will automatically be included in the arrangement of 24 installments. As a result, the amount of the monthly installment will be halved.

There are, of course, the approximately 90,000 insured people who went out of the scheme in the first quarter of this year. Experts estimate that some of them, if the doses are increased, will be able to rejoin. In any case, as is the case today, the rest of the "unregulated" debtors can be included in the fixed debt settlement.

Further provisions on debt arrangements EFKA

The "broom bill" that will be submitted to the Parliament will include other provisions. These will correct past mistakes, such as:

• the 20-year limitation period for debts, which will now become 10 years, following the decision of the Council of State (CoE)
• or try to improve the income of civil servants, for example, by abolishing the special 1% levy imposed on their salaries in 2011, under the first memorandum

The provision of the 10-year limitation period for debts, as assessed by the Ministry of Labour, concerns 250 million in arrears to EFKA. euros. They are debts for which no interruptive measures of limitation have been exercised in time. Measures such as forced collection measures (auctions, etc.), either by EFKA or KEAO.