By: Moja Dolenjska
Prime Minister Robert Golob attempted to accuse Janez Janša and his previous government of lowering pensions in the past – claims that were debunked even by the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute itself. However, a closer look at what happened with pensions shows that Janša’s government did not lower them in 2012; in fact, it even increased them. On the other hand, the pension reform being drafted by Robert Golob is set to significantly reduce pensions. Let’s take a closer look at why.
In 2012, Janša’s government passed a pension reform that, according to Golob and Levica MP Nataša Sukič, reduced the pension accrual rate from 78% to 57.25%, allegedly leading to a significant drop in pensions.
However, this claim is false, as confirmed by the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute (ZPIZ), the most authoritative source on pensions in Slovenia. “The 2012 pension reform did not reduce the accrual rate; it was merely recalculated mathematically – meaning that 78% under ZPIZ-1 is equivalent to 57.25% under ZPIZ-2,” ZPIZ stated. Economist Maks Tajnikar also confirmed this in a statement for Planet TV, explicitly refuting Golob’s claims.
Janša’s government did not lower pensions in 2012. In fact, it halted their gradual decline, which was mandated by the previous law, and ensured they started rising again. “After the 2012 reform, the average monthly base from the year before retirement is considered in its actual amount for pension calculation, rather than being reduced as was the case under the pre-2013 pension law. This prevents the decline of the pension base and, consequently, pensions,” ZPIZ stated for STA, confirming the previous claim.
ZPIZ also provided a concrete calculation: the minimum pension base for 40 years of completed service would be €880.48 under the pre-2012 law, but thanks to Janša’s reform, it is now €1,202.84. This proves that the reform did not reduce pensions but instead stopped their decline and enabled growth – an assertion also supported by the SDS party.
Golob and Sukič appear to be deliberately misleading the public, argues Zvone Černač from SDS, to divert attention from the fact that the pension reform being prepared by Golob’s government will significantly reduce pensions. Under the proposed reform, the retirement age would increase to 67. Additionally, pension calculation conditions would worsen: instead of using the 24 best years of earnings, the new formula would consider all 40 years of service, excluding only the five worst years. As a result, many people would receive a significantly lower pension than they would under the current system.