Pensioners who receive commensurate pensions realized through the application of international agreements, i.e. they receive part of their pension for work in Montenegro, and the other part from some other countries where they worked, apart from being left without one-time assistance, are not covered by the amendments to the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance ( PIO), which are expected to increase the lowest pensions.
Several beneficiaries of proportional pensions addressed "Vijesti" indicating that their incomes are below 100 euros and that when they turn to institutions for help, they receive the answer that this group of pensioners is not on the list and that no one is responsible for them.
Last week, the Assembly finished the debate on the proposal to amend the Law on PIO, by which the Democrats demand an increase in the minimum pension from 147 to 200 euros. However, the proposed changes do not include proportionate pensions.
The Democrats first proposed increasing the pension from January 1 of the following year, in order to submit an amendment on Saturday for adoption of the law from October 1, 2022.
The PIO Fund told "Vijesta" that, according to the data from the payment base, the number of pensioners who receive a proportional part of the pension is 13.499. Of that number, 5.757 are pensioners in Montenegro, and 7.742 are pensioners who receive part of their pension from Montenegro and now live outside it.
The data refer to the pension paid for November 2021.
Božica Đokić, who receives a commensurate pension, tells "Vijesti" that no one is competent or responsible for that group of pensioners.
"I have no rights neither in Montenegro nor in Serbia, where I worked for two years and earned the right to a pension of 14 euros," said Đokić.
She added that she received a disability pension of 47 euros three years ago.
"I've been living in Montenegro for 13 years, illness interrupted my employment and I didn't have enough years of service, so they approved my disability pension and added this one from Serbia. Fortunately, I have a family because I wouldn't be able to survive alone with my pension," said Đokić.
She states that beneficiaries of proportional pensions are discriminated against, and besides the fact that their incomes are not increasing, they did not receive even 100 euros of assistance, like other pensioners.
"I previously received some help of 50 euros each, and there was also some from Serbia. But lately, they are not giving that either, neither one nor the other country. I called the Government, they directed me to the Ministry of Finance and Social Welfare, and there they told me that the PIO Fund is responsible for this. I went to the Fund and there they explained to me the basis on which I received my pension, which I know myself," Đokić explains.
Recently, MK, who receives a monthly pension of 46,78 euros for work in Montenegro, addressed "Vijesti". She said that she can receive part of her pension from Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she worked, when she reaches 65 years of age, that is, in two years and two months, but by the state's decision, she was denied the help that other pensioners received. She pointed out that last time, when the pensioners were paid a one-time benefit, she received 50 euros.
Assistance only for work experience in Montenegro
The PIO Fund replied to the Montenegrin citizens that the one-time assistance was given to users who had worked in Montenegro only, regardless of the amount of the pension.
At the beginning of this month, the Board of Directors of the PIO Fund made a decision to grant one-time assistance to pensioners in Montenegro, which will be paid in December with the regular pension for November.
"Pensioners who receive the minimum pension will be paid an aid of 100 euros, while pensioners whose pensions range from the minimum to the average pension will receive aid in the amount of 30 euros," according to the announcement of the PIO Fund.
The "News" Fund explains that "according to the PIO Act, the insured person has the right to the lowest pension if his pension, realized according to the personal coefficient (according to his earnings, salary benefits, i.e. insurance bases) using the points system, is lower than the lowest pension that is guaranteed by law.
"The right to the lowest amount of pension belongs to the insured who realizes the right to old-age, early old-age, or disability pension and family pension, if his pension is lower than the lowest pension guaranteed by law, while the lowest partial disability pension is set at 75 percent of the lowest full disability pensions. The lowest pension in nominal amount, adjusted on January 1, 2021, amounts to EUR 147,08, explained the Fund.
They add that the insured beneficiary of a proportional part of the pension realized through the application of international agreements does not have the right to the lowest pension in the nominal amount.
"However, those persons have the right to have their pension determined by applying a personal coefficient of 0,5 if their pension was earned according to a personal coefficient of less than 0,5. The amount of the proportional part of the pension cannot be determined in general, but for each applicant individually," said the PIO Fund.
For proportional pensions only regular adjustment
The PIO Fund says that the proportional part of the pension is adjusted for the beneficiary in the same way as the adjustment of pensions is done.
"The value of the pension for one personal point is adjusted from January 1 of the current year, based on statistical data, with the movement of consumer prices and average earnings of employees in the territory of Montenegro in the previous year compared to the year before it...", they said. from the PIO Fund.
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