"The government will respect the decisions of the Council of State", said Finance Minister Christos Staikouras in an interview with the Sunday newspaper Real News, referring to the pensioners' back pay. "The back pay will be given with guide the state's duty against those that were treated unjustly. However, I make clear that our main priority is to avert anything that may destabilise the Greek economy".
Speaking on the reduction of the primary surpluses, Staikouras stated that it is in the core of the government's strategy adding that he estimates that there will be positive results in 2020.
Asked if 2020 state budget will have an additional surprise in the citizens' benefit, Staikouras said "The government has chosen to take advantage of any available fiscal room on conditions of economic effectiveness and social justice and always in the interest of the weaker".
Finally, on the course of the Greek economy he said that Greece is turning page and is returning to full normality with stable and careful political moves"