国际英语资讯:Feature: Greek retirees demonstrate against fresh round of pension cuts_时事

国际英语资讯:Feature: Greek retirees demonstrate against fresh round of pension cuts

Thousands of Greek retirees returned to the streets of central Athens on Thursday to rally against the fresh round of pension cuts implemented by the government under bailout agreements.

According to a letter they received by Labor Minister Yorgos Katrougalos a few days ago, the new reductions on supplementary pensions introduced this summer were necessary to safeguard the sustainability of pension funds.

Once the national economy recovers, pensioners will receive raises, the letter read.

The disgruntled protesters who marched to the Labor Ministry and the parliament are not convinced. After six years of harsh austerity measures they cannot stand any more cuts, representatives of retirees' associations and protesters said, rejecting the "tips" their pensions have turned into.

"We got 50 euros (about 55.5 U.S. dollars) for supplementary pension. They should be ashamed," Rodoula Gennimata told Xinhua as protesters were chanting slogans such as "We are starving and they are selling us off" or "We are not retreating until we see justice".

"In 2010 I was receiving 637 euros and today 209.3 euros. I am disabled and they slashed my pension because the state can no longer pay," Mr. Yannis said, showing his bank account book.

"Here are the documents. 422 euros gross salary and now it dropped to 228 euros," Panagiotis Badourakakis added, also showing the latest receipts of his pension payments.

"It is a fraud. They are deceiving us. What else can we say?" protestor Yorgos Petsas said, after reading the headlines on the front pages of dailies at kiosks.