ZAGREB, September 22, 2018 – The leader of the Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU), Silvano Hrelja, said on Saturday that the ruling majority would shorten the public consultation on the pension reform to two weeks after which they will try and rush it in parliament through two readings.
In an interview with the national radio broadcaster, Hrelja said that the real public consultation on the pension reform won’t begin until the ministry publishes the package of bills it has announced on its web site.
Hrelja believes that for now the public consultation has begun only in the media because, until the package of bills is published, changes are possible based on reactions by various groups. However, there is relatively little time for adopting a quality package of laws, he said, adding that the ruling coalition will try and rush adoption in parliament through two readings.
He believes that that isn’t good, saying that responsible countries first present proposals, calculations and simulations to social partners or in fact discuss each article of the law with social partners.
Hrelja is convinced that the pension reform won’t bring well-being to the majority. If they decide to erase the second pension pillar and give everyone a supplement of 27% on pensions from the first pillar, I doubt that it will be better because some other policy will say there isn’t sufficient money and reduce the supplement, he underscored.
He also criticised the proposal for a different penalisation of early retirement, claiming that the current system of the ratio of contributions to working life is well balanced.
Hrelja isn’t inclined towards supporting the proposed reform package as it is in parliament. Asked whether he would support the package if it were amended, Hrelja said it was too early to say.
