By: Gal Kovač (Nova24tv.si)
A press conference of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) was held in the National Assembly, where MP Karmen Furman presented the party’s proposal for recommendations to the government due to the worsening social and material situation of Slovenian retirees. The proposal will be discussed at tomorrow’s extraordinary session of the National Assembly at the request of the SDS. The party primarily recommends that the government begin implementing its own coalition commitments, carry out an extraordinary pension adjustment, implement pension reform, and a series of other measures.
“The retirees are the most vulnerable group. The government is not fulfilling its promises from the coalition agreement, as they promised decent pensions. The average pension does not even reach the poverty threshold. Retirees are deprived and increasingly impoverished under this government and inflation,” stated SDS MP Karmen Furman.
At the beginning of the press conference, MP Furman summarised the situation faced by retires, who are already one of the most vulnerable groups due to low incomes. They have been further affected by the rising energy costs, which disproportionately impact them due to their financial vulnerability. “The coalition’s commitment was that in 2023 the pension for a full-time employment would amount to at least 700 euros, or that pensions would be raised by 10% above the poverty line, ensuring fiscal sustainability. This means that retirees with 40 years of work should currently receive a pension of 910 euros. However, the current pension amounts to 687.75 euros. The fact is that retirees are deprived and increasingly impoverished under this government, and the coalition is clearly incapable of fulfilling its own coalition commitments,” explained the MP.
The parliamentary group of the Slovenian Democratic Party has been raising awareness of the worsening hardships faced by retirees since August last year, but their efforts have unfortunately been rejected.
“With such government policies, retirees rightfully feel unworthy and forgotten. They are forced to collect signatures on the street to demand what they truly deserve based on their work and contributions to the pension fund. It is a great shame for the government that has hard-working, diligent people on the street, who are telling the government that they cannot live on its promises,” said the SDS MP.
The MP then continued that the Slovenian Democratic Party will make its voice heard through the extraordinary session where they will present government’s proposals to improve the social and financial situation of retirees. The SDS has formulated seven recommendations, which are fully disclosed below.
The MP concluded the presentation of proposals to improve the financial situation of retirees with an appeal: “In the SDS parliamentary group, we extend a hand of cooperation to the government coalition with these recommendations, hoping that this time, in such important decisions, reason will prevail over political manoeuvring. People who have contributed to building Slovenia, maintaining our system, and paying into the pension fund are in distress today, forgotten by the government coalition and living below the poverty line.”