Pensioners Rally, as MPs Launch Discussions on Pension System
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| Protesters want pensions based on length of service. |
Hundreds of pensioners gathered outside the Parliament on December 7 to protest against planned changes to the pension system and to demand pensions based on length of service. Similar protest rallies, organized by the opposition Democratic Front parliamentary faction have already been held on December 2 and December 6 outside the Parliament.
Meanwhile the Parliament will start discussions on government-proposed amendments to the law on pensions on December 7. The document envisages increasing the minimal pension from the current GEL 28 (USD 15.5) to 38 (USD 21) and a decrease of the maximum pension from the current GEL 5000 [approximately USD 2700] to 560 (USD 311) starting from next year. The maximum pensions are reserved for former high-ranking officials.
The initial draft also envisaged the introduction of a new retirement age – 65 for both men and women. Currently the retirement age for men is 70 and 60 for women. But, as the opposition parliamentarians from the Democratic Front announced on December 7, a compromise has been reached and the retirement age for women will not increase and remain at the current 60.
Authorities say that the pension system based on length of service will only be available in Georgia after the minimal pension will be increased up to subsistence level, which is currently about GEL 150 (USD 83.3) per month.
Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze, who welcomed her visiting counterpart from Estonia Ene Ergma outside the Parliament on December 7, tried to explain to the protesting pensioners that the authorities are currently unable to distribute pensions based on length of service. But Burjanadze left the scene after she was met with critical comments from the protesters.
“Does anybody think that we can give 100-200 Lari to pensioners and we do not do it? Would not it be a serious step ahead for the authorities if we could do this? Does the opposition want to do it more than the authorities? Unfortunately, we cannot do it… and the opposition just tries to benefit from this,” Nino Burjanadze said.
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