Tomas: After 20 years, We're Eliminating Injustice Related to Parents' Pensions

Bratislava, 4 December (TASR) - An amendment to the Social Insurance Act, approved on Thursday by Parliament, eliminates 20 years of discrimination against parents, especially mothers, who receive lower pensions due to raising children on maternity and parental leave, Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD) pointed out at a press conference after the bill was approved. Tomas noted that pensions for parental and maternity leave are currently calculated on the basis of 60 percent of the average salary, which results in lower pensions. "We're finally going to put an end to this 20-year-old situation. Parents who raised children while working, especially mothers, will finally see justice done," he emphasised, adding that this is an important pro-family measure. According to him, it is equally important that the legislation will be in line with the Constitution, according to which raising a child mustn't have a negative impact on the level of pensions. The minister emphasised that the amendment to the law was greenlighted by all 142 MPs present. At the same time, he rejected the objections of several opposition parties, which, including shortly before the vote, criticised in particular the fact that social-insurance provider Socialna poistovna will have up to five years to recalculate pensions according to the new rules. "Where were the opposition parties, such as SaS [Freedom and Solidarity], which was in power in the previous electoral term? Why didn't they come up with such a law in the previous election term so that the recalculation could already have taken place? Pensions could already have been recalculated this year," stressed Tomas. am/df