The deputies have concluded their debate on amendments to the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance, which are intended to create a legal condition for increasing modest pensions. They will vote on the bill at a later date.
In her opening remarks, State Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography Mersida Aljićević said that the proposed changes aim to increase social security for pensioners and ensure a dignified life for beneficiaries who rely on proportional pensions.
"The amendments to the law propose the introduction of a measure that would enable the payment of the difference to beneficiaries of proportional pensions up to the lowest pension whose total amount of proportional pension and pensions realized under an international agreement reaches up to 450 euros," said Aljićević.
There were no opposition MPs in the plenary session today. Yesterday, at his collegium, Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić imposed a measure of suspension on some opposition MPs for the next 15 days of the session, due to the recent disruption of the legislative chamber's session, which was supposed to decide on the state treasury for this year.
PES MP Jelenka Andrić said that the failure to adopt this law meant that pensioners in exchange did not receive the promised increase in the minimum pension to 450 euros, and that this move provided a measure of justice for the most vulnerable part of the population.
"This measure will affect 2.500 people in our country and this measure shows concern for people who were on the brink of existence," said MP Andrić.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mirsad Nurković (BS) said that an important issue for this category of pensioners will be resolved today and we have a legal text that should balance the minimum income of pensioners.
MP Jelena Kljajević (DNP) said that this is a step towards adopting the budget, which is an important document, and that she regrets that they have not been able to adopt the laws to date because "the retrograde opposition has focused its activities on obstructing the parliament."
"I understand the work of the opposition, but I do not support this kind of action. Their work was aimed at undermining the social situation of citizens. Pensioners are the pillar of our society and deserve all our support to enable them to live a life worthy of a human being," said Kljajević.
They use crimes for political action.
Duško Stjepović (Democrats) said that finally, after 50 days, it was the turn of the Parliament to consider the interests of citizens and their pensions, not "the judges of the former regime".
"Montenegro does not deserve to see what has happened in the past 45 days and its citizens do not deserve what has happened in the past 30 years, plunderous privatizations, nothing can cover the fact that anyone's salary is 24 pensions. This parliamentary majority has done everything in the past two and a half years to improve the standard of living of its citizens," said Stjepović.
According to him, the opposition wants to say that 222 euros is higher than the 600 euros minimum wage, that it is better to have some levies and crisis taxes, rather than what exists now - child allowances, free textbooks, severance pay for workers, increased benefits for newborns...
"Now they are worried about the security sector whose head in the secret correspondence was in a criminal pyramid (not the honorary president), they are worried about whose Zeman Duško Jovanović, Slavoljub Šćekić, Žugić, Raspopović were killed... 719 murders occurred during the long rule of the DPS of 30 years and now they are inappropriately using the tragedy in Cetinje to gain power. It did not occur to us to use crimes for action, the murderer who brutally murdered a family in Herceg Novi came to mind," Stjepović pointed out.
Congratulations on the "necessary marriage" in Budva
Bogdan Božović (SNP) said that as a parliamentary majority they had shown responsible action and that they did not want to behave like "those who put MPs in the van".
"We must move forward for the sake of the citizens and our club supports this legal solution. This will correct the injustice towards those who received proportional pensions, even if they were lower than the minimum in the state," said Božović.
He congratulated the "marriage of necessity" of the new coalition in Budva.
"Where it is best shown in action that it is not the programs that matter, but the verbal party commitments. How hypocritical the DPS's criticism of minorities sounds when they said that they formed a government at the state level with Chetniks and clerical fascists. Behind this is a story without substance where the hunger for power is hidden. It does not matter who they will form a government with, as soon as they come to power," said Božović.
5,5 million for pensions, and 10 times more in a police officer's account
Dejan Đurović (Nova) apologized to all pensioners who did not receive increased proportional pensions for last month.
"We must treat everyone responsibly. This is a disproportionate pension compared to what a police officer has in his account, which is 10 times more than what this supplement for proportional pensions will cost Montenegro annually. This supplement costs 5,5 million, and one police officer has in his account what is needed for proportional pensions for 10 years," Đurović pointed out.
According to him, it will cost a third of what the son of the former prime minister and president of the state is demanding from the state for certain contracts and who has been protesting around Montenegro for days.
He added that the new government started with child allowances, free textbooks, salary increases, and severance pay. "We increased pensions and now we have proportional pensions."
Bonus video:
