Rasi: Ministers Will Present Solution to Compensate for 13th Pension Expenses

(RTVS, 'Sobotne dialogy', April 20) The solution to the compensation of expenses for the approved thirteenth pensions will be presented in the near future by Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (Smer-SD) and Labour Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD), Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation Minister Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) said on RTVS's politics programme 'Sobotne dialogy' (Saturday Dialogues). "We must, of course, take into account the fact that even after the 13th pension is approved, we must meet the set limits, including the reduction of the public finance deficit," pointed out Rasi, adding that he sees a full-fledged 13th pension benefit as a necessary measure for the elderly, a significant part of whom live on the verge of poverty. He therefore also praised the opposition MPs who voted in favour of the proposal, including Christian Democrats (KDH) chairman Milan Majersky, who was debating with him on the show. In connection with the support for the proposal, the KDH leader said that his party had proposed a different way of implementing the measure and considered more targeted measures to help the economically weakest to be more effective. However, they eventually added their votes. "The most important thing for us is the human being and we do care how Slovak pensioners live," stressed Majersky. am