Opposition: Gov't to punish people for 2nd pension pillar participation

The pension debate rolls on as the Robert Fico-led Government is going to punish pensioners for their participation in the second pension pillar by cutting their minimum pension, representatives of opposition parties SDKU-DS, OLaNO, SaS and KDH said at a press conference on Thursday. The lawmakers expressed their indignation over the Cabinet-sponsored initiative aimed at introducing a minimum pension. According to Pravda daily, the legislation - which has already passed through the first reading - will decrease the minimum pension via the levies paid into the private second pillar. Details of the scheme are yet to be discussed by MPs and experts at the Labour, Family and Social Affairs Ministry. "This is an unconstitutional measure. It will usher in an unconstitutional state, which will subsequently need to be addressed by the Constitutional Court," stressed MP Ľudovít Kaník (SDKU-DS), the main proponent of the introduction of the second pillar a decade ago while minister of labour, social affairs and family (2002-05). If the legislation is passed, the liberal Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS) will certainly bring the matter to the Constitutional Court, added SaS MP (also a former labour minister (2010-12) Jozef Mihál. According to Kaník, the real aim of the bill is to drive people out of the second pillar in order to increase the resources available for the Cabinet following the reopening of the second pension pillar. The second pillar is set to remain open until 15 June.