By Moje Posavje
The government has prevented an extraordinary pension adjustment before the New Year, while pensioners are increasingly stressed about the rising prices, which has provoked, among other things, a nationwide protest of pensioners. The protest will take place on Wednesday, the 1st of February, at 3 p.m. at Republic Square in Ljubljana.
The organisers, including the former Mayor of Tržič, Pavle Rupar, say the protest is about “poor people begging, pensioners freezing, and you can’t help them.” Among other things, they will demand higher pensions.
As Rupar says, their intention is sincere. “Behind me, there is (unfortunately) no Janez Janša, no Milan Kučan, no Dr Golob, no Mojca Škrinjar. I got into this on my own, and you people have come to help me! And we made the Civil Initiative the Voice of Pensioners! Behind me is a huge crowd of pensioners, I did not ask anyone whether they voted for the Freedom Movement party (Gibanje Svoboda) or the Slovenian Democratic Party (Slovenska demokratska stranka – SDS) or whoever, because I am sick of politics… Behind me are people who are going through life, people who have worked and built this country, people who feel it is a pity that the authorities and governments mistreat us so much,” he wrote.
Here is a list of the Civil Initiative’s demands:
- “Immediate increase of all pensions which are lower than 1000.00 euros for 20 percent, and of pensions between 1000.00 euros and 1,500.00 euros for 15 percent.
- Set the lowest possible monthly pensions – for farmers and for disabled people at 750.00 euros, which should be adjusted monthly with inflation every two months, and the average pension should amount to 75 percent of the average wage in Slovenia.
- Raise the percentage for the pension from 57.25 percent of the average wage for the period of 24 years to 68 percent of the average pay for the period of 20 years.
- Add the 13th pension as the right of the pensioners into the Constitution.
- Add the compulsory annual allowance equal to 1 pensioner’s pension as a right into the Constitution.
- Immediate access to general practitioners for pensioners.
- The payment of compulsory supplemental health insurance for pensioners whose pensions are lower than 1,000 euros is taken over by the State.
- The compulsory contribution for the national media outlet, Radio-Television Slovenia, is paid for the pensioners by the State.
- Help for young people in finding employment and housing so that they can support their parents.
- We DEMAND the restoration of dignity and respect for the elderly, due to their age and their experience and the results, which have enabled young people to have what they have, on which they can now continue to build.”