Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Wednesday that he does not envisage the law reforming magistrates' pensions being declared unconstitutional.
Asked whether he would resign should the Constitutional Court issue such a ruling, the prime minister rejected the hypothesis, arguing that the draft law complies with constitutional provisions.
"I do not consider such a scenario, as the draft law, as it is written, respects all constitutional provisions. To correct systems facing similar issues, the state must have the authority to act, including the authority to secure Constitutional Court approval for provisions that are clearly fair and reflect reality. (...) If approval cannot be secured in an area where matters are self-evident, it is difficult to assume that similar measures can be pursued in related areas or that generally unpopular reforms can be sustained. (...) Authority is an essential instrument in public administration, and it derives from trust, political support and consistent action over time," Bolojan told radio broadcaster Digi FM.
Asked whether Romania could lose funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) as a result of failing to meet the milestone related to magistrates' pensions, Ilie Bolojan said this would depend on the Constitutional Court's decision. He also stressed the importance of social fairness, noting that tolerating "injustices" erodes public trust.
"Depending on the decision of the Constitutional Court, I hope it will consider the project constitutional, and depending on subsequent discussions with representatives of the European Commission, I believe these funds would not be lost. The underlying issues, however, go beyond these funds, and any amount in euros that we can access as grants must be a priority for us. (...) That said, the sustainability of the pension system is the most serious issue. As a country, we can no longer afford to retire people at 48, 50 or 52 years of age, given that only about half of those above this age are still working in Romania," the prime minister said.
Comentează