Driver Received “Blindness Pension” – In Greece, Where Else?

Despite the harsh austerity the extortion of public money continues without end. It is only a matter of …coincidence that law breakers are caught. At the same time, thousands of Greece’s needy, chronic ill and low pensioners see their income sharply decreasing and are deprived of medicine, as the health ministry austerity deliberately (?) delete drugs from their therapy lists and social benefits.

A satirical depiction of a blind driver using a cane to navigate
“Blind” Driver
A vegetables seller, 56, has been receiving ‘social benefits” for being apparently 100% blind. The only problem was that the man was driving his truck each and every day – and thus since 2004, when he was diagnosed with 67% blindness. the man continued to drive also since 2007 when his blindness had apparently reached a level of 100%.
The ‘blind’ man had also managed the impossible: he was able to drive a motorbike.

His ‘severe disability’ was diagnosed by the health committees of Greece’s biggest insurance fund IKA. The man was receiving a pension of 1,160 euro (NET TV) as he was granted also aid from a caretaker. The total amount received from the Farmers’ Pension Fund (OGA) is 70.794 euro.
The blind with the Argus eyes was arrested by the economic police.
OGA is about to demand the illegally obtained amount back and take also legal measures against the members of the health committee, OGA manager Panagiotis Petroulas told daily Imerisia.
The case is only one form the hundreds daily revealed in Greece: cases of people obtaining illegally pensions and social benefits.
Albanians Illegally Received Pensions and Benefits
Last month, an investigation in the records of Ioannina Municipality, in North western Greece, revealed that some 500 Albanians were illegally receiving pensions and benefits through the OGA and were holders of health books although they were not living in Greece. Among the ‘fake’ beneficiaries was an Albanian prosecutor who was registered as ‘poor’ and was illegally receiving medicine, as he was not resident of Greece.
IKA has recently said it would claim back the amounts with a 5% interest rate from all those who illegally benefited from the lack of control mechanism. Not to mention the corruption among the state services….
PS Members of the Greek minority in Albania (North Ipirus) were entitled to receive OGA pensions, however that law was cancelled in 2010. Odd enough I heard also of -at least two cases here in Athens, that “Albanian grannies” had arrived just for the sole purpose to register for pensions also last summer, that is 2011.
 Posted by keeptalkinggreece