New data cross-checks ordered by the Greek government have revealed that almost 4,500 deceased civil servants have continued to receive their pensions burdening the tax payer with more than 16 million Euro, according to Labour Minister Louka Katseli.

The government has promised a crackdown on social security fraud as part of its efforts to meet its financial obligations towards the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Greek authorities appear to keep poor records and citizens often fail to declare the death of relatives to continue cashing in their pensions.

Minister Katseli told Ta Nea newspaper "the government is now setting its sights on the 9,000 people who are 100 years old and still drawing pensions. We are currently checking how many of them are actually alive."

In view of further bailout funds from the EU and the IMF, the Head of a business lobby in Germany's ruling CDU party, Kurt Lauk, commented to business daily Handelsblatt  "the pension fund fraud is proof of the need to examine every last inch of Greece's finances before even one Cent in further aid is provided."

"European Finance Ministers would be well advised not to leave the examinations solely in the hands of the Greeks", Lauk concluded.