Polish Parliament Backs Pension Reform, Overturns Veto

Prince 15 | 590

19 Dec 2008 / #1

com/en/world/clanak.php?id=216580

Poland's parliament approved on Friday government plans to overhaul the creaking state pensions system, overturning a presidential veto of the reform.

President Lech Kaczynski, a conservative often at odds with the pro-business government, vetoed the reform on Monday saying it was unfair and failed to heed labour unions' criticism.

The law will reduce the number of workers eligible for early retirement to around 240,000 from 1.2 million and will lead to significant savings for the state budget as Poland's economy

However, parliament failed to back several other reforms sponsored by the government but vetoed by Kaczynski, including a plan to introduce more financial discipline into the inefficient state health sector.

Lotnik767 3 | 145

19 Dec 2008 / #2

I have mixed feelings about that issue!!

hairball 20 | 313

19 Dec 2008 / #3

This just goes to show what an ass the President.....and the Piss....ooops sorry I meant Pis party really is!

lesser 4 | 1,311

20 Dec 2008 / #4

PiS as every other opposition in parliamentary system oppose nearly all projects created by the government. This is typical and disgusting.

However I must write that I'm surprised by your statement. PiS nearly always offer socialistic demagogy while I remember your lamenting that Polish parties aren't leftist enough...

As a free market supporter I need to write that this was a mistake to grant such early pensions to people. However if state made a deal with those people, they should keep their word. Otherwise this state is not worth of any trust (this is actually the case). Your attitude gives green light to every further government to unilaterally break deals with citizens without any compensation. Perhaps tomorrow corrupt government will decide that YOU don't deserve your pension or tell you to work few years more. You never know.

Grzegorz_ 51 | 6,161

20 Dec 2008 / #5

The first good thing done by PO...

the pro-business government

LOL ! Pro ITI maybe.

OP Prince 15 | 590

20 Dec 2008 / #6

Oh well now we can see who is socialist and who is not. Or maybe in different way, who is closer to left side and who is closer to the right side when it comes to economy.

lesser 4 | 1,311

20 Dec 2008 / #7

Ye shall know them by their fruits.

celinski 31 | 1,258

22 Dec 2008 / #8

Here is another article, I must aggre with this, "They should all face the Tribunal in Nuremberg".

Parliament slashes pension privileges of retired communist functionaries

[quote]Polish Parliament has passed a bill lowering old age pension privileges for retired functionaries of the communist regime, which ruled in Poland and repressed the Polish nation over five decades following World War Two. However, many remain skeptical if justice has really been done.

'The communist state had the appearances of a legal system, just like the Nazi state. Employees of the secret police received salaries, paid taxes. However, the duties and practices of communist secret policemen in Poland were similar to the duties and practices of the Nazi SS. Therefore, honoring retired communist officers with pensions is not right. It is not just. And they receive pensions several times higher than their victims. Now, taking away the pension privileges is a symbolic step towards justice. But in my opinion, we should not pay them anything. They should all face the Tribunal in Nuremberg,' says Cejrowski.

For logistical reasons, the bill, which concerns an estimated number of thirty thousand former communist functionaries, will come into effect with the beginning of 2010.

Seanus 15 | 19,706

22 Dec 2008 / #9

youtube.com/watch?v=3s9PcNSV91w, Yesterday's Papers by the Rolling Stones

You often use yesterday's papers, Celinski. Nuremberg was decades ago.