Interim Senate President: Special pension issue, clear for PSD; they must be taxed

Interim Senate President Robert Cazanciuc said on Wednesday that the solution at the moment for restoring some social equity among pensioners is the adoption of the draft initiated by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) providing for over-taxation of 'special pensions.'

"The discussion about special pensions is quite clear in PSD's view, these pensions must be taxed. Many of these pensions have unimaginable values and then a certain social equity must be restored. There have been two ways to restore this social equity: one through this normative act draft proposed by the PNL [National Liberal Party] and the second, over-taxation, as endorsed by the PSD. The first option was declared unconstitutional, the second option is next, a draft law is already in Parliament providing for over-taxation and this PSD draft has the benefit that it refers to all pensions in payment and not only future pensions, as provided in the PNL draft," Cazanciuc told AGERPRES.

He voiced hope that PNL MPs would support this PSD draft, as they promoted the idea of re-establishing social equity.

"PNL didn't agree either with keeping some huge pensions in the public system and then, maybe, I hope, they will vote for this draft, as there is no other way at the moment," the PSD Senator maintained.

In his opinion, the PNL draft had vulnerabilities and the Constitutional Court has touched this aspect.

The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) on Wednesday admitted the notifications of the High Court of Cassation and Justice and Ombudsman on the law on the abrogation of some provisions concerning service pensions and entitlements for age limit, as well as for the regulation of some measures on the professional pension area.