The7 Administrative Court has rejected all appeals challenging the legality of pay, pension and lump-sum payment reductions imposed on state and broader public sector employees during the 2012 financial crisis, according to a ruling issued on October 30.
The court dismissed 113 consolidated appeals contesting civil servants’ pay cuts and 64 consolidated appeals challenging reductions in pensions and lump-sum payments.
The measures were implemented under the 2012 law governing the reduction of remuneration and pensions of state officials, employees and pensioners.
In its ruling, the court determined that the graduated reduction in salaries, pensions and lump-sum payments did not constitute a deprivation of property rights protected under Article 1 of the First Additional Protocol of the Human Rights Convention and Article 23 of the Constitution.
The court found that the cuts did not affect the core of the applicants’ rights nor their right to a dignified life and social security.
The court also ruled that the appellants had accepted their employment terms upon recruitment, as stipulated by various legislative acts governing employment in such organisations and public service.
Furthermore, it found no violation of equality principles, as all state and broader public sector employees contributed from their earnings proportionally.
The Republic’s position that the reductions were a temporary measure aimed solely at ensuring public financial sustainability was accepted by the court.
The ruling emphasised that these cuts were not equivalent to tax-type deductions financing state expenditure.
Senior Republic Counsel Elena Symeonidou and Republic Counsel A’ Katia Hadjidemetriou represented the state in the cases.
Read more:
