Strongly promoted by the former holder of the labour
office, the Social Democrat Lia Olguta Vasilescu, and supported by the majority
formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats, the new pension bill was endorsed by the Senate on Monday. With 81
votes for, 12 against and 8 abstentions, the bill passed without any serious
amendments as compared to what the Government had proposed. Gradually
increasing the pension point in the coming three years, reducing the retirement
age for the so-called first and second labour categories and taking into
consideration master’s and doctoral degrees in calculating the pension are some
of the provisions of the new law. The minimum pension contribution period
remains 15 years. One amendment promoted by the Democratic Union of Ethnic
Hungarians and accepted by the majority provides for the possibility, but not
the requirement, of early retirement for mothers of three or more children.
Senators members of the National Liberal Party, the main opposition party in
Romania, say that the new law ‘creates false illusions for pensioners and does
not materialize them’, because the actual increase will take place no sooner
than 2022, and maybe even later. Dissatisfied by the fact that their amendments
were not accepted, the Liberals voted against the bill. Here is the Liberal
Senator Marcel Vela:
I voted against also because the
amendment that would have ensured support for pensioners in areas affected and polluted
by mining exploitations or steel factories was not taken into consideration,
and pensioners in this category were not given the chance to be able to retire
two years sooner.
Also in the opposition, the Save Romania Union
abstained from voting, and said the imperfections of the law should be
corrected. We believe that Romanians’ pensions are too low and they must be
increased, but this law should have also cancelled special pensions, Save
Romania Union Senator Vlad Alexandrescu said.
On the other side, the Social Democrat Senators have
stressed repeatedly that the law will meet the needs presented by pensioner
associations and are meant to correct disparities in the system. The Social
Democrat Senator Ion Rotaru responded to criticism voiced by the opposition:
You voted against the minimum pension.
You did not agree that, in case of pensioner’s death, the remaining spouse
should have a second option, besides 51% of the pension, which would be an
additional 25% help. You voted against many things.
The new Labour Minister Marius Budai has given
assurances that all increases provided in the bill are financially sustainable.
He has stated that ministry experts, together with specialists from the finance
ministry, have carried out the necessary simulations, and their conclusion was
that the budget can cover all additional expenditure entailed by the new law.
The bill will next go to the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making
chamber in this matter.
(Translated by M. Ignatescu)