By: Peter Jančič (Spletni časopis)
“That we are debating whether to give a slightly higher pension to a few dozen artists who have dedicated everything to this nation through their art seems terrible to me.”
Vinko Möderndorfer cleverly explained on POP TV why he opposes the referendum on the allowance that he himself will receive if voters do not reject the law passed by MPs from Svoboda, SD, and Levica. The opposition party SDS is collecting signatures for the referendum. Like Prime Minister Golob, Möderndorfer slyly claims that the amounts and benefits are minimal and that only a few artists will receive them.
None of this is true.
As a recipient of the Prešeren Fund Award in 2000, Möderndorfer is one of many eligible for the supplement. The new method of calculating the allowance is far more generous than before, granting Slovenian artists pension supplements of a kind unknown anywhere else in the EU – even in much wealthier countries.
It is unusual that POP TV did not highlight Möderndorfer’s personal interest in the matter, as he himself will receive this benefit. Nor did they ask him how much his so-called “slightly higher pension” will be. At 66 years old, Möderndorfer meets all the criteria for receiving the supplement. The new law calculates it by adding half the difference between his pension and the maximum pension, which is around 3,000 euros net. Prešeren Prize laureates receive the highest amount, while Prešeren Fund awardees get a lower one. The exact figures are not precisely defined.
Only Möderndorfer himself knows how much extra money he will pocket.
If his earned pension is 1,500 euros, the new system grants him an additional 750 euros per month. If his pension is 1,000 euros, he will receive an additional 1,000 euros monthly. Under the old system, the supplement would have been capped at half the highest pension, meaning he would not have received anything beyond 1,500 euros.
With a pension of 1,500 euros, the new law grants him an extra 750 euros monthly, amounting to 9,000 euros per year. Over 20 years – the average pension duration – this adds up to 180,000 euros.
That is enough to buy a home for a young family, something the ruling parties have promised.
For those with lower pensions, the privilege is even greater.
Since many artists have received awards, the total cost of these unearned privileges will amount to numerous apartments for young families. The law was drafted by Asta Vrečko, leader of Levica and an artist herself.
Under the old system, Möderndorfer would have received the supplement only if approved by the government, which he could not force to grant it. Under the new law, it becomes an enforceable privilege, directly awarded by the Ministry of Culture.
